Digestive Diseases
The Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition is committed to fighting digestive diseases through providing education and raising awareness about digestive health issues. To that end, the Foundation is committed to increasing public understanding and support of gastroenterology, reaching specific high-risk populations with information geared to their needs and effecting positive changes in behavior and public health policy.
"The Burden of GI Diseases"
Disorders of the digestive tract comprise a spectrum of gastrointestinal and hepato-biliary diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people in the United States. The emotional burden on people living with digestive diseases and their families is beyond measure; however, the economic burden is quantifiable.
This report attempts to begin measuring the enormous medical costs and productivity losses that result from a selected group of digestive disorders. This group was considered by experts to represent the GI diseases that have the largest impact on the US population. The study was a considerable challenge considering the enormity of effects of the numerous GI diseases that affect our society.
Pandemic
- More than 70 million Americans suffer from digestive disorders that interfere with their work and their lives.
- More Americans can be hospitalized for digestive diseases than for any other type of illness.
Deadly
- Digestive diseases can be life-threatening; colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States.
- Diarrhea is the third leading cause of death by disease worldwide, claiming the lives of the most vulnerable: children and the elderly.
Costly
- Digestive diseases cost the nation an estimated $91 billion annually in health care costs, lost work days and premature deaths.
