Experiences of Hispanic Safety Net Clinic Patients With Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Katherine D Vickery, Paul J Novotny, Becky R Ford and 6 others
PMID 35118926WHAT IT FOUND
Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes had no clear change in measured self-care behaviors, but reported barriers to care, food, medication, and clinic visits.
Confidence in managing diabetes and quality of life improved.
Key findings
01Seventy-seven Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes were surveyed, and most reported less access to diabetes providers, less physical activity, more overeating, and more frequent high blood sugar during the pandemic.
02Reported diabetes self-care behaviors did not show a clear change from pre-pandemic to pandemic, while confidence in managing diabetes and quality of life improved.
03Outpatient diabetes visits decreased by 0.6 visits in the past 12 months, driven by fewer primary care and behavioral health visits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and underpowered to detect subtle changes in self-reported measures. Participants were already connected to clinic care, so the results may not apply to Hispanic adults with the greatest barriers to healthcare. The pandemic-related remote data collection left too much missing height, weight, and A1C data to compare these outcomes over time. A minority of participants had received the parent trial's digital storytelling support video, which the authors say may have influenced diabetes care. The study excluded patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, so it does not describe diabetes management during acute infection. The paper did not name a single primary outcome, and it reports +0.5 and +0.6 changes without giving the scale.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report a conflict-of-interest declaration. Publication types list NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read improved confidence in managing diabetes and quality of life as evidence that pandemic barriers to diabetes care were minor. Many respondents reported less provider access, more overeating, more frequent high blood sugar, and fewer outpatient diabetes visits.