Living conditions of people with diabetes: A scoping review on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

ABSTRACT

The present study gives an overview on the effects caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the living and care situation of people with diabetes in Germany. For this purpose, a systematic search was conducted using the scoping review methodology. On the one hand, a systematic literature search was accomplished in scientific databases for empirical studies and in other search areas for other non-empirical publications. On the other hand, routinely collected electronic health data (routine data;e. g., health insurers administrative data, data from patient registers, medical billing, and drug care data from contractual physicians) were requested from health insurance companies, patient registries or other institutions to gain insight into the care situation of people with diabetes. The literature search identified a total of 53 publications (12 empirical studies and 41 other publications) which were included in the data extraction. Additionally, the methodological quality of the empirical studies was assessed. Due to the small number of empirical studies and their low methodological quality, the evidence gaps regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care of people with diabetes are large. However, the empirical studies provide little evidence that the pandemic had a negative impact on the use of diabetes-specific services. The studies show fewer new and reenrolments in disease management programs for diabetes;fewer changes in prescriptions of blood glucose-lowering drugs;fewer diabetes diagnoses and a higher rate of diabetic ketoacidosis in children and adolescents. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged the use of digital tools for the care of people with diabetes. The search for routine data remained without results. In summary, very limited reliable data on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of people with diabetes in Germany was available.