1. COVID-19 hinterland: surveilling the self-reported impacts of the pandemic on diabetes management in the USA (cross-sectional results of the iNPHORM study)
- Author
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John D Buchenberger, Jason E. Black, Bridget L. Ryan, Joseph W Dickens, Stewart B. Harris, and Alexandria Ratzki-Leewing
- Subjects
Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Cross-sectional study ,diabetes & endocrinology ,Type 2 diabetes ,quality in health care ,Social support ,Young Adult ,COVID-19 Testing ,Diabetes management ,Diabetes mellitus ,Epidemiology ,medicine ,Humans ,Hypoglycemic Agents ,general endocrinology ,Pandemics ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,Type 1 diabetes ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,general diabetes ,COVID-19 ,General Medicine ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,United States ,Diabetes and Endocrinology ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ,Emergency medicine ,Medicine ,epidemiology ,Self Report ,business ,Psychosocial - Abstract
Main objectiveTo determine how and to what extent COVID-19 has affected real-world, self-reported glycaemic management in Americans with type 1 or type 2 diabetes taking insulin and/or secretagogues, with or without infection.DesignA cross-sectional substudy using data from the Investigating Novel Predictions of Hypoglycemia Occurrence using Real-world Models panel survey.SettingUSA.ParticipantsAmericans 18–90 years old with type 1 or 2 diabetes taking insulin and/or secretagogues were conveniently sampled from a probability-based internet panel.Primary outcome measureA structured, COVID-19-specific questionnaire was administered to assess the impact of the pandemic (irrespective of infection) on socioeconomic, behavioural/clinical and psychosocial aspects of glycaemic management.ResultsData from 667 respondents (type 1 diabetes: 18%; type 2 diabetes: 82%) were analysed. Almost 25% reported A1c values ≥8.1%. Rates of severe and non-severe hypoglycaemia were 0.68 (95% CI 0.5 to 0.96) and 2.75 (95% CI 2.4 to 3.1) events per person-month, respectively. Ten respondents reported a confirmed or probable COVID-19 diagnosis. Because of the pandemic, 24% of respondents experienced difficulties affording housing; 28% struggled to maintain sufficient food to avoid hypoglycaemia; and 19% and 17% reported challenges accessing diabetes therapies and testing strips, respectively. Over one-quarter reported issues retrieving antihyperglycaemics from the pharmacy and over one-third reported challenges consulting with diabetes providers. The pandemic contributed to therapeutic non-adherence (14%), drug rationing (17%) and reduced monitoring (16%). Many struggled to keep track, and in control, of hypoglycaemia (12%–15%) and lacked social support to help manage their risk (19%). Nearly half reported decreased physical activity. Few statistically significant differences were observed by diabetes type.ConclusionsCOVID-19 was found to cause substantial self-reported deficiencies in glycaemic management. Study results signal the need for decisive action to restabilise routine diabetes care in the USA.Trial registration numberNCT04219514.
- Published
- 2021