Indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with type 2 diabetes: time to urgently move into a recovery phase

While the direct risks of the COVID-19 on people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well established,1 the indirect effects of the COVID-19 response on their management are less well understood. It is estimated that 4.7 million people have diabetes in the UK with T2D accounting for 90% of all diabetes cases, with primary care being at the forefront of delivering diabetes care.2 Besides the disproportionately high immediate direct effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with T2D, it has also exerted indirect effects through severe disruptions in the routine care of patients.3 During the first wave of the pandemic, efforts were directed away from prevention and treatment of long-term conditions, resulting in reduced access to primary care services, cancelled and postponed consultations and reduced community care. Furthermore, many patients avoided or delayed seeking medical attention for routine follow-up or non-COVID-19-related problems, due to...
Source: Quality and Safety in Health Care - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: COVID-19 Editorials Source Type: research