Diabetes Week and World Diabetes Day today, 14 November, are a reminder of the importance of maintaining good health and well-being. Diabetes is a major challenge for society and the economy, and its impact can be mitigated by investing in prevention and small everyday actions that support health.
The BitHabit Small Actions app is an important tool in this regard, as it allows users to take concrete small actions that promote well-being and turn them into habits that can have a significant impact.
Social costs
The cost to society of treating diabetes is considerable. According to the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the cost of diabetes in Finland is estimated at around €6 billion per year. This figure includes direct and indirect costs, but it is important to note that only about a quarter of this cost is incurred by medical care. The rest of the costs are related to things like lost work capacity, absenteeism, long-term care and loss of productivity. Diabetes thus represents a social and economic burden, the prevention and effective management of which could significantly reduce costs.
Health care costs and reimbursement of medicines
Diabetes care is one of the biggest health care expenditures in Finland. It is estimated that up to 18% of European health expenditure is spent on diabetes, reflecting the high prevalence of the disease and the complexity of its treatment. In addition, people with diabetes are at increased risk of additional diseases, such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases, which often require long-term and multidisciplinary treatment. Prevention and early diagnosis of diabetes are crucial to reduce the health care burden.
A significant part of the total cost of diabetes care in Finland is the reimbursement of diabetes medicines. The reimbursement system aims to ensure that people with diabetes receive the medication they need at a reasonable cost, but at the same time it increases the cost to society.
Prevention – small actions, big impact
Preventing diabetes is a key measure that can save significant amounts of money in healthcare costs and improve people’s quality of life. Type 2 diabetes in particular is a lifestyle disease, with the risk increased by obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and other lifestyle factors.
The core idea behind BitHabit is that small, achievable actions form lasting habits that support long-term health. This is particularly important because research shows that lasting lifestyle changes are most successful when they are made in small, easy-to-implement steps that motivate the user.
BitHabit suggests small actions that support a healthy lifestyle, such as daily exercise, regular eating and stress management. The user can select the actions and track their progress, seeing how even small steps have a positive impact on well-being. With the BitHabit app, users can increase their well-being, reduce their risk of getting sick and support the sustainability of healthcare in society.
