THE PANDEMIC'S IMPACT ON DIABETES CARE

New Australian research has provided a window into how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people with type 2 diabetes. Dr Julian Sacre of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute explains...

- Dr Julian Sacre

While Australia has been lucky to avoid the high COVID-19 infection rates seen in other parts of the globe, we have faced some of the world’s strictest lockdown measures. Researchers at Melbourne’s Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute wanted to understand how this “new normal” impacted on the health and wellbeing of people with diabetes, which might help inform treatment, as well as future pandemic planning.

The diabetes complications program at the Baker Institute is running a long-term study called PREDICT, which tracks the health of people with type 2 diabetes. This put the researchers in a unique position to evaluate the effect of the pandemic, as almost 500 people had joined PREDICT before COVID emerged on the scene. These people were re-surveyed during the first lockdown period about a range of issues, including their worries about the pandemic and their use of healthcare services, as well as impacts on their general health and emotional wellbeing.

Concerning reduction in medical appointments

Of concern in these survey results – recently published in the scientific journal Diabetic Medicine – was a reduction in people accessing routine medical care. Cancelled medical appointments and avoidance of new bookings were common (each reported by about two in five people). This was not counting appointments that were changed to telehealth, which was taken up by many. About three-quarters of participants reported attending an appointment after it was switched to telehealth.

RE-ENGAGING WITH DIABETES CARE POST-PANDEMIC

For those who may have found it hard to keep up with normal diabetes care during the pandemic, or want to begin fresh with some healthy habits, start with these top tips.