I want to hear from you!
Today, the American Diabetes Association and the Diabetes Research Company shared results from a recent survey conducted in March about the impact of COVID-19 on the diabetes community. There were 5,645 people with diabetes nationally since the start of the pandemic that participated in this survey.
Doctor’s Appointments During the Pandemic
Nearly 1 in 5 (19% of the respondents) diabetics have skipped doctor’s appointments since the start of the pandemic, because of fear of contracting the virus. Of the 19%:
• 26% missed one appointment
• 36% missed two appointments
• 38% missed three or more appointments
Managing Diabetes During the Pandemic
Based on the survey results, 23% of the respondents stated that COVID-19 has made managing diabetes more difficult. Of the 23%:
• 23% of adults with Type 1 diabetes
• 24% of adults with Type 2 diabetes
About 1 in 4 adult respondents with diabetes reported having trouble controlling their blood glucose levels during the pandemic.
New Health Complications
in 10 adults with diabetes say they have developed new health complications (high blood pressure, heart problems, peripheral artery disease, and eye disorders) since March 2020.
Diabetics and COVID Vaccine
The survey also included questions about receiving vaccines. According to the results, people with diabetes are getting vaccinated or intend to be more than the general public:
• As of March, half of adults respondents with diabetes have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
• 62% of adult respondents with diabetes said they have not been vaccinated, but intend to be when doses are available.
• Nearly 9 in 10 adult respondents with diabetes said they did not experience any change in blood glucose management after receiving the vaccine.
• 7% of the diabetes community do not intend to get the vaccine compared to the general population, 30% of whom report not planning to get the shot at all.
I want to hear from you! Has COVID-19 made managing diabetes more difficult for you? Also, if it has affected you negatively, what can you do to change your experience? Tell your experiences in the comments and feel free to read other comments on some tips in making this experience a little easier.
Until Next Time,
The Genetic Diabetic
