OBJECTIVES: The United Nations has set a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including reducing premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third by 2030. Diabetes is associated with significant clinical and economic burden in China, and therefore the aim of the present analysis was to examine the health economic impact of improving care for patients with diabetes in China, and how this relates to meeting the SDG.

METHODS: Long-term outcomes were projected for patients with type 2 diabetes meeting treatment targets recommended by the Chinese Diabetes Society versus remaining at the current standard of care. Baseline cohort characteristics were taken from patients with diabetes in the China NCD Surveillance study, supplemented with data from A1chieve and DiabCare. Costs of treating diabetes-related complications were taken from a study conducted in 20 Chinese hospitals and were inflated to 2015 values. Outcomes were discounted at 3% annually where appropriate.

RESULTS: Bringing patients to treatment targets was associated with improved mean undiscounted life expectancy compared with current standard of care (18.50 versus 18.08 years). Nationally, discounted cost savings of up to CNY 540 billion could be generated as a result of reduced onset of diabetes-related complications if all patients with diabetes achieved treatment targets. Bringing patients to treatment targets reduced premature mortality due to diabetes by 6% compared with current standard of care. Therefore improving care is not sufficient to meet the SDG. In addition to improving care, a 29.1% of reduction in the prevalence of diabetes was required to meet the premature mortality target.

CONCLUSIONS: Long-term projections suggested that bringing diabetes patients to treatment targets resulted in improved life expectancy and significant cost-savings. Diabetes prevention should form one of the key aims in order to achieve the 2030 SDG premature mortality target in China.