People with diabetes have psychological adaptive difficulties that may be further aggravated by ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Recent guidance document for diabetes stress upon glycemic management but do not address the psychological concerns.
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Integrated clinics to provide comprehensive care so as to address both physical and mental health are the need of hour.
Abstract
Background and aims
People with diabetes have multiple psychosocial issues related to diabetes and its complications and this may be exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
We reviewed the psychological adaptative difficulties in people with diabetes especially during natural disasters including the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
There are significant concerns regarding worsening of glycemic control, unavailability of appropriate medicines, inaccessibility to health care or acquiring SARS- CoV-2 infection and subsequent poorer outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there are some guidance documents for managing diabetes and associated complications during COVID-19 pandemic but very few address the psychological issues in people with diabetes. We discuss the psychological adaptive difficulties and an approach to address the psychosocial concerns in people with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions
People with diabetes have significant diabetes distress and psychological adaptive difficulties that is aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An integrated multidisciplinary approach is needed to manage the prevailing psychological issues amongst people with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
