November 14 marks World Diabetes Day. In the context of this celebration, the Association of Diabetics of Catalonia has carried out a survey that concludes that 78% of people with diabetes consider that their condition is the same or better now than before the pandemic, in addition to that in this period the most have been able to control their weight.
The survey also shows that during the entire pandemic period, more than half of the population with diabetes suffered difficulties, among others, in being able to access their doctor or nurse and maintain their usual physical activity. On the other hand, it is considered that they have not had difficulties to carry out blood glucose controls, eat correctly or have access to medication or to take it regularly. Many patients claim to have consulted their doubts with health professionals, on the internet or the patient association as information support agents.
Most of the people surveyed consider that if a change in their treatment is required, they would have difficulties to carry it out in the current period of the pandemic due to limited access to healthcare professionals. The main barriers to controlling your diabetes during the Covidien-19 pandemic have been the fact of not being able to leave home due to the uncertainty due to contagion and the difficulty of having a medical appointment. On the other hand, little difficulty has been encountered, for example, with the renewal of the prescription.
During the pandemic, 62% of the cases continued to carry out the remote visit by telephone without having to cancel their follow-up appointments with the healthcare professional.