Our program to assess the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the USA diabetes community and the availability of diabetes drugs and supplies has just wrapped up its second survey wave. We received more than 4,500 responses over the course of three days.
Just over two-thirds of our survey respondents needed to refill at least one diabetes prescription in the past two weeks. Again, we found that one in six people needing insulin experienced a problem. Around a quarter of people needing insulin pump or CGM supplies had delays or difficulties, and around one in six of those needing test strips. For respondents refilling a GLP-1 prescription the situation has improved a little, but for those on an SGLT-2, delays have increased.
It’s perhaps no surprise that those who have lost their jobs have had more difficulties getting insulin than those who are still working, although those on Medicare and with low incomes were also more likely to run into problems.
We’ve seen significant changes in doctor and pharmacy visits too. Almost 40% of patients have changed how they fill their prescriptions. Nearly a third have had medical appointments canceled, and just over a quarter have had them switched to telemedicine.
Finally, the impact on diet and exercise is real. More than a third of respondents report that their diet is now less healthy, and half report exercising less. We’ll be looking at the immediate impact this is having on overall well-being.
For a PDF version of the report, please complete the form below and we’ll email you within 48 hours.
The report from the first wave of this study, conducted at the end of March, is available here. We will continue to track the experiences and opinions of people with diabetes throughout the pandemic, and welcome your feedback and comments. If you have suggestions for questions we could be asking or would like to learn more, please let us know.
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