According to U.S. News & World Report, studies suggest that people with diabetes may have a 50 percent higher risk of obtaining a disability than people without the disease.
“We found that diabetes increased the risk of disability by 50 percent to 80 percent compared to those without diabetes, and this result was consistent across all types of disability,” Anna Peeters, head of obesity and population health at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia told U.S. News & World Report.
“The results of this study are particularly important in the context of an aging population and increasing diabetes prevalence over time,” Peters said, according to U.S. News & World Report. “In combination, this suggests a substantial increase in the burden of disability in the elderly in coming decades.”
The news service reported that 347 million adults worldwide had diabetes in 2008. The blood sugar disease can lead to heart disease, vision problems, kidney disease and blood vessel disease in the extremities.
A person with diabetes may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if the disease affects his or her ability to work. Some of the more common disabilities associated with SSDI recipients who have diabetes are retinopathy, nephropathy, peripheral neuropathies, cardiovascular problems, skin and bacterial infections, and amputations.
If you or a loved one suffer from a disability due to diabetes and you have questions about applying for benefits, contact a Tulsa Social Security disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404. Contact us today to learn more about your rights.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys