We recently completed our fourth survey tracking the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diabetes community. Over 4,400 people with diabetes responded to this wave, which was conducted between May 28th and June 1st, 2020.
The study shows that people with diabetes are still extremely concerned about their health and finances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and still unsure when things will change for the better – even as states begin to reopen. They are broadly unaware of government programs to help them with medical costs, but becoming more enthusiastic about telemedicine.
As we have seen in diabetes, the impact of COVID-19 differs greatly by race. Black/African American respondents are significantly more likely to be worried about family or friends getting COVID-19, getting sick themselves, or their ability to get tested. They are also significantly more likely than White/Caucasian respondents to report that they or someone in their home has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In Wave 4, we’ve seen that as states reopen, respondents have been able to get out of the house more frequently. Of the respondents who are furloughed, 22% expect to be returning to work this month. Among those who switched to working from home, only 15% would like to go back to their workplace full-time in the foreseeable future.
Of those who have had a telehealth appointment with their endocrinologist since the start of the pandemic, preferences for future appointments after shelter-in-place has ended are varied. The majority (70%), however, would at least like some telehealth appointments in the future.
This wave answers the following questions:
- What is the financial and employment impact of COVID-19 on the diabetes community?
- What are respondents’ fears and concerns about COVID-19, particularly as it relates to diabetes?
- How do health status and concerns about COVID-19 differ by race?
- How have patients’ experiences refilling prescriptions for insulin, diabetes drugs, and pump or CGM supplies been affected?
- Are patients awareness of the new Medicare Programs, including remote provider visits, monthly insulin price caps, and eased requirements for starting CGM?
- How many patients have had telehealth visits?
- How are people with diabetes changing their behavior as communities start to reopen?
Highlights from the wave 4 report are available for free – please complete the form below to receive a copy by email.
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About dQ&A – The Diabetes Research Company
dQ&A is a social enterprise founded in 2009 and committed to making life better for people with diabetes. We harness patient voices to help improve health outcomes for people with diabetes. We are trusted by patients because of our independence and commitment to diabetes. We started tracking the experiences and opinions of people with diabetes in the United States in 2009, and have been surveying them quarterly since then.
