1. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services: A pan-European survey of diabetes specialist nurses undertaken by the Foundation of European Nurses in Diabetes survey consortium
- Author
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Forde, R, Arente, L, Ausili, D, De Backer, K, Due-Christensen, M, Epps, A, Fitzpatrick, A, Grixti, M, Groen, S, Halkoaho, A, Huber, C, Iversen, M, Johansson, U, Leippert, C, Ozcan, S, Parker, J, Paiva, A, Sanpetreanu, A, Savet, M, Rosana, S, Szewczyk, A, Valverde, M, Vlachou, E, Forbes, A, Allen-Taylor, M, Brown, F, Celick, A, Gane, S, Hashem, R, Habete-Asres, H, Tian, Q, Sturt, J, Winkley, K, Caron, R, Gacina, S, Moloney, Y, Kobos, E, Jansa, M, Yoldi, C, Forde R., Arente L., Ausili D., De Backer K., Due-Christensen M., Epps A., Fitzpatrick A., Grixti M., Groen S., Halkoaho A., Huber C., Iversen M. M., Johansson U. -B., Leippert C., Ozcan S., Parker J., Paiva A. C., Sanpetreanu A., Savet M. -A., Rosana S. -C., Szewczyk A., Valverde M., Vlachou E., Forbes A., Allen-Taylor M., Brown F., Celick A., Gane S., Hashem R., Habete-Asres H., Tian Q., Sturt J., Winkley K., Caron R., Gacina S., Moloney Y., Kobos E., Jansa M., Yoldi C., Forde, R, Arente, L, Ausili, D, De Backer, K, Due-Christensen, M, Epps, A, Fitzpatrick, A, Grixti, M, Groen, S, Halkoaho, A, Huber, C, Iversen, M, Johansson, U, Leippert, C, Ozcan, S, Parker, J, Paiva, A, Sanpetreanu, A, Savet, M, Rosana, S, Szewczyk, A, Valverde, M, Vlachou, E, Forbes, A, Allen-Taylor, M, Brown, F, Celick, A, Gane, S, Hashem, R, Habete-Asres, H, Tian, Q, Sturt, J, Winkley, K, Caron, R, Gacina, S, Moloney, Y, Kobos, E, Jansa, M, Yoldi, C, Forde R., Arente L., Ausili D., De Backer K., Due-Christensen M., Epps A., Fitzpatrick A., Grixti M., Groen S., Halkoaho A., Huber C., Iversen M. M., Johansson U. -B., Leippert C., Ozcan S., Parker J., Paiva A. C., Sanpetreanu A., Savet M. -A., Rosana S. -C., Szewczyk A., Valverde M., Vlachou E., Forbes A., Allen-Taylor M., Brown F., Celick A., Gane S., Hashem R., Habete-Asres H., Tian Q., Sturt J., Winkley K., Caron R., Gacina S., Moloney Y., Kobos E., Jansa M., and Yoldi C.
- Abstract
Aim: To describe diabetes nurses' perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services across Europe. Methods: An online survey developed using a rapid Delphi method. The survey was translated into 17 different languages and disseminated electronically in 27 countries via national diabetes nurse networks. Results: Survey responses from 1829 diabetes nurses were included in the analysis. The responses indicated that 28% (n = 504) and 48% (n = 873) of diabetes nurses felt the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted ‘a lot’ on the physical and psychological risks of people with diabetes, respectively. The following clinical problems were identified as having increased ‘a lot’: anxiety 82% (n = 1486); diabetes distress 65% (n = 1189); depression 49% (n = 893); acute hyperglycaemia 39% (n = 710) and foot complications 18% (n = 323). Forty-seven percent (n = 771) of respondents identified that the level of care provided to people with diabetes had declined either extremely or quite severely. Self-management support, diabetes education and psychological support were rated by diabetes nurse respondents as having declined extremely or quite severely during the COVID-19 pandemic by 31% (n = 499), 63% (n = 1,027) and 34% (n = 551), respectively. Conclusion: The findings show that diabetes nurses across Europe have seen significant increases in both physical and psychological problems in their patient populations during COVID-19. The data also show that clinical diabetes services have been significantly disrupted. As the COVID-19 situation continues, we need to adapt care systems with some urgency to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the diabetes population.
- Published
- 2021