Needs, concerns and self-management experiences of people with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Background: Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased COVID-19 severity. Little is understood about the needs, concerns and self-management experiences of people with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: To examine the lived experiences of people with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: This qualitative study recruited people with type 2 diabetes from the SOUth-London Diabetes (SOUL-D) cohort. Semi-structured interviews via telephone were conducted between September 2020 and January 2021. Deductive thematic analysis derived themes from the data to explore needs, concerns and self-management experiences of people with type 2 diabetes.

Results: Twenty-nine people with type 2 diabetes were interviewed. Three themes with subthemes were outlined: (1) information needs of people with type 2 diabetes during the Covid-19 pandemic, (2) concerns about Covid-19 from people with type 2 diabetes and (3) diabetes self management and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: During a pandemic, there is a need for consistent, diabetes-specific, messaging from healthcare professionals for people with type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes need support to access digital resources to aid remote communication. Future research could help develop recourses to prevent social isolation and loneliness for people with type 2 diabetes during a pandemic.