A new study published in May by the American Diabetes Association® in collaboration with dQ&A shows that growing numbers of people with diabetes have not just been forced to postpone necessary medical care since the COVID-19 outbreak but that alarming numbers are struggling to manage their blood sugar levels.
Important survey results found:
- Almost one in five Americans with diabetes has skipped medical appointments since the pandemic began, mostly out of fear of contracting the virus.
- One in four people with diabetes reports having problems controlling their blood sugar levels during the public health emergency. and
- One in ten adults with diabetes says they have developed new health complications such as high blood pressure, heart problems, peripheral artery disease and eye diseases since last March.
While an increase in diabetes complications puts the diabetes community at increased long-term risk, people with diabetes due to poor blood sugar control are particularly vulnerable to unwanted COVID-19 results when contracting the coronavirus in the short term. Dr. Robert Gabbay, ADA’s Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, said, “Over the past year we have seen a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the health and safety of Americans with diabetes. As a community and as a nation, we must work to empower the 34 million Americans with diabetes with more resources – from expanded access to diabetes technology and telemedicine to expanded healthy food and beverage programs. We also need to recognize and remove the systemic barriers that keep many people with diabetes from staying safe and healthy until the end of this pandemic and beyond. “The results of this survey were compiled from a national online survey of 5,645 people with diabetes between March 4, 2021 and March 16, 2021 with an error rate of +/- 2% percent.
Via the American Diabetes Association
More than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America every day. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and strive to manage their lives while living with the disease. The ADA is the country’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve of the diabetes epidemic and help people with diabetes thrive. For 80 years, the ADA has advanced discovery and research into the treatment, treatment and prevention of diabetes and has worked tirelessly to find a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education to improve their quality of life. Diabetes brought us together, what we do next will make us connected for life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join the battle with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
About dQ&A – The Diabetes Research Company
dQ & A is a social company that works to make life easier for people with diabetes. We use patient voices to develop better tools and guidelines for people with diabetes and improve health outcomes. We have been following the experiences and opinions of people with diabetes in the US, Canada and Europe for over ten years. Patients trust us because of our independence and our commitment to them. Our team has decades of experience in quantitative and qualitative research as well as in-depth knowledge of diabetes. Many of our own lives have been touched by diabetes, so we have a personal stake in our work. To learn more and see research highlights, visit us at d-qa.com and follow us on LinkedIn (dQ & A – The Diabetes Research Company), Facebook (@dQandA) and Twitter (@dQAresearch).
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