Life during contact with the COVID provider, risk of COVID-19 among the concerns of adults with diabetes during the pandemic

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Adults with type 2 diabetes described difficulties in contacting health care providers and receiving information about the links between diabetes and COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to the results of a qualitative study.

In a study published in Diabetic Medicine, researchers interviewed adults with type 2 diabetes in the UK about their experiences living with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to expressing concern about receiving relevant health information, participants described concerns about contracting the disease itself, changes in their routine of self-management of physical activity, and diabetes, and concerns about isolation. social during confinements.

Many adults with type 2 diabetes struggled to contact health care providers and engage in physical activity while having concerns about becoming infected with COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic. The infographic content was derived from Upsher R, et al. Diabetes Med. 2022; doi: 10.1111 / dme.14883.

“This qualitative study aimed to describe the self-healing experiences of diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a group of people with type 2 diabetes in south London,” says Rebecca Upsher, PhD, professor of the department of psychology. at King’s College London, and his colleagues wrote. “Three major issues were described: information needs of people with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic; concerns about COVID-19 for people with type 2 diabetes; and self-management and well-being of diabetes during the COVID-19 “pandemic.

The researchers recruited 29 adults who had previously participated in the prospective diabetes study in south London. Participants had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within 6 months of recruitment for the South London Diabetes study between 2009 and 2012. Those who completed follow-up between 2017 and 2020 were eligible to participate. Adults were interviewed between September 8, 2020 and January 25, 2021. Interviewers developed a thematic guide based on a guide developed during the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic in 2010, with reviews made to add diabetes and COVID-19- specific questions. Interviews were conducted by telephone and audio was recorded. Deductive thematic analysis was used to relate the topics to the sections of the thematic guide.

Of the study cohort, 79% were over 65 years of age and over 70% showed no depressive symptoms at the start of the prospective South London diabetes study or at follow-up.

When information needs were discussed, some participants had no problem contacting their health care providers during the pandemic, while others found it extremely difficult to contact providers. Participants expressed concern about digital advances in healthcare during the pandemic and the healthcare professional provided limited information on the link between diabetes and COVID-19.

Participants gave a variety of responses to concerns about COVID-19. Some adults said they felt diabetes was not a risk factor or that maintaining good diabetes management would negate diabetes as a risk factor for adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Those who saw the news, however, said their mental health was negatively affected by reports claiming that diabetes increased the risk of serious outcomes. Some adults said they had concerns about the lack of fear of other people around COVID-19, including people who did not follow protective measures in public places or who take risks.

During the pandemic, many participants said they had a more sedentary lifestyle with minimal social activities. Most claimed that they reduced their level of physical activity and gained weight during confinements, while some increased their levels of physical activity by discovering new ways of exercising. Social isolation was a major concern for most participants, as several reported that isolation affected their mental well-being as time went on.

The researchers said the findings reveal several areas where providers can improve their communication for people with type 2 diabetes during future pandemics. They said providers should deliver a consistent and clear message with diabetes-specific advice to promote preventative measures during a virus. Providers should also encourage health-promoting behaviors and try to mitigate concerns that patients may have.

“Better support is essential for people with type 2 diabetes who have poor digital literacy or no access to digital resources,” the researchers wrote. “Finally, there is a need to develop more resources to alleviate experiences of social isolation in people with type 2 diabetes who are already at increased risk for poor mental health.”

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