COVID-19 has presented people with diabetes in Scotland – more than 312,000 of them – with unprecedented challenges on a variety of levels. From limited access to health care to the effects of deteriorating mental health to the challenges of living well with their condition.
The pandemic has also drawn more attention to the severity of diabetes. Figures released in the first few months showed that one in five Covid deaths in Scottish hospitals was people with diabetes. And we know the effects are not the same. People with diabetes already have large inequalities, with rates 80 percent higher in our most deprived communities and people living in poverty more than twice as likely to develop life-changing complications. Complications such as heart attacks, strokes, and amputations. And Covid-19 has only exacerbated inequalities.
This week, Diabetes Week was an opportunity to reflect and refocus. Think about the damage the pandemic has wreaked and celebrate the strides we’ve made over the past 100 years since the discovery of insulin. Also important is that we need to realign our efforts to ensure diabetes does no harm, especially after the pandemic.
We know our healthcare professionals work hard to clear the backlog of health checks, consultations, and referrals. In addition, the Scottish Government committed to an NHS recovery plan within the first 100 days of the new Parliament.
This is vital for people with diabetes, but we need to make sure that tackling health inequalities is an integral part of it. Ninety percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, and reducing our obesity rates can have a huge impact on our risk of developing it. But a number of factors make it difficult for people to choose – or be able to choose – healthier foods. Ultimately, the amount of money someone has in their pocket determines what they can buy, and often the inexpensive choice is not the healthy choice. For households in the lowest income decile, 75% of disposable income would have to be spent on groceries to cover the cost of the UK Government’s Eatwell Guide. This ideal diet is simply out of reach for too many.
There are also real challenges in coping with your medical condition when you live on a low income. Diabetes is a relentless condition that requires careful monitoring – which is much less easy when you juggle unsafe work, food insecurity, caring responsibilities, or money worries. We know that the risk of diabetes is not the same, the effects are not the same and the pandemic has only made this worse.
However, while we are recovering, there is an opportunity to address these issues. And if the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we can make massive changes if necessary. As one of the fastest growing and potentially devastating health problems we face, our recovery must focus on real change for all people at risk of and living with diabetes. In a society that believes in fairness, it’s only the right thing to do.
Angela Mitchell is National Director, Diabetes Scotland Diabetes
