World Diabetes Day 2020 – Update from the diabetes surveillance

Medical care of diabetes and other chronic conditions during the corona pandemic

Since the start of 2020 the corona pandemic has dominated the health care situation in Germany. Diabetes mellitus and other chronic conditions increase the risk for a severe course of the COVID-19 disease. In Germany, 7 of 100 adults are diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, two of 100 adults already have elevated blood glucose levels, however have not been diagnosed (unknown diabetes).
Since the start of the pandemic many non-pharmaceutical interventions have been introduced by the federal government and the federal states for the containment of the spread to the corona virus. The diabetes surveillance contributed to two articles, which explore the effect of the introduced public health measures on the medical care of people with chronic conditions like diabetes:

• Self-assessed medical care during the corona pandemic
  According to the COSMO survey the most participants report that access to health care and required medications was ensured during the pandemic. People with chronic conditions did not report more frequently about constraints in medical care. However, in March at the begin of the pandemic participants experienced more frequently that appointments at a doctor’s office were not possible.

• Care for the chronically ill in Germany – The challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic
  The review shows that data is sparse to depict the medical care of people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and psychological disorders. Singular studies report a decline of inpatient treatments of several diseases and a decrease in emergency department visits of less severe cardiovascular cases. Regarding outpatient treatment the review indicates that during the beginning of the pandemic appointments at a doctor’s office were substantially lower. However, in order to mitigate the shortage telemedical appointments were offered for example to persons with diabetes.

Updates on diabetes in Germany on the diabetes surveillance’ website

Next to activities in light of the current pandemic the website of the diabetes surveillance has been updated:

• The time series of the following indicators has been complemented by data for the year 2018

  • Diabetes-related amputations
  • Ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalisations
  • Reduced earning capacity pension

• All contents related to the project and the interactive visualizations of the results from the diabetes surveillance are now also available in English.