Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Diabetes'.
-
News Article
Women with type 2 diabetes have 60% increased chance of early death
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Women in the UK with type 2 diabetes have a 60% increased risk of an early death and will live five years less than the average woman in the general population, early research suggests. Scientists have also found that men with the disease have a 44% increased risk of dying prematurely and live 4.5 years less. Results also suggest that smoking shortens the life expectancy of people with type 2 diabetes by 10 years, while diagnosis at a younger age cuts life expectancy by over eight years. The findings, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Stockholm, Sweden, are based on a cohort of nearly 12,000 patients at the Salford Royal Hospital in Salford. “A woman with type 2 diabetes, for example, might live five years less than the average woman in the general population, while someone diagnosed at a younger age might lose eight years of life expectancy. “It is vital that the groups at the highest risk are made aware of not just the increased risk that they face but also the size of the risk." “Doing so may make the health advice they are given seem more relevant and so help them make changes that can improve their quality – and length – of life.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 21 September 2022- Posted
-
- Diabetes
- Womens health
-
(and 2 more)
Tagged with:
-
News Article
Reasons for hospital admissions in people with type 2 diabetes are changing
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The most common reasons why people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are admitted to hospital with greater frequency than the general population are changing, with hospitalisation for traditional diabetes complications now being accompanied by admissions for a diverse range of lesser-known complications including infections (i.e., pneumonia, sepsis), mental health disorders, and gastrointestinal conditions, according to an analysis of national data from Australia spanning seven years. The findings, being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden (19-23 Sept), reveal that just four traditional diabetes complications (cellulitis, heart failure, urinary tract infections, and skin abscesses) were ranked in the top ten leading causes of hospitalisation in men and women with T2DM. "Although traditional complications such as heart failure and cellulitis remain a substantial burden for people with T2DM, infections less commonly linked with diabetes and mental health disorders are emerging as leading causes of hospital admissions, and have substantial burdens that sometimes exceed the top-ranked well-known complications," says lead author Dr. Dee Tomic from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia. She adds, "The emergence of non-traditional diabetes complications reflects improvements in diabetes management and people with diabetes living longer, making them susceptible to a broader range of complications. Increasing hospitalizations for mental health disorders as well as infections like sepsis and pneumonia will place extra burden on healthcare systems and may need to be reflected in changes to diabetes management to better prevent and treat these conditions." Read full story Source: MedicalXpress, 1 September 2022 -
Event
untilPharmacy Forum NI and the DoH Strategic Planning & Performance Group (SPPG) have created a three-part webinar series entitled, ‘A systematic Approach to Insulin Safety in Community Pharmacy’. The first webinar in the series will take place on Wednesday 21 September 2022 at 7-9pm via Zoom and will focus on an introduction to human factors, concepts & tools, and their relevance to patient/medication safety and the wellbeing of the pharmacy team. Event programme and registration Who should attend? These events are targeted at all members of the community pharmacy team who play a part in the safe supply of medicines to patients, namely: pharmacists and foundation trainee pharmacists pharmacy technicians and assistants owners and superintendents medicines safety leads Guest speakers We are delighted to partner with Professor Paul Bowie and Dr Helen Vosper for the three-part event series. Professor Paul Bowie is a Safety Scientist, Medical Educator and Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors specialist. He has over 25 years’ experience in a range of quality and safety leadership and advisory roles in healthcare, medical defence, military medicine and academia. He gained his doctorate in significant event analysis from the University of Glasgow in 2004 and has published over 150 papers on healthcare quality and safety in international peer-reviewed journals and co-edited a book on safety and improvement. Paul is also Honorary Professor and a PhD supervisor/examiner in the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow and a Visiting Professor at Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada. He is Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and a Chartered Member of the UK Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors where he is the patient safety lead of the healthcare specialist interest group Dr Helen Vosper is a chartered ergonomist and graduate of the Loughborough Human Factors Masters Programme and an academic with 15 years’ experience of teaching Human Factors to healthcare students and professionals, including pharmacy students and pharmacists. She is currently the lead for Patient Safety in the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition at the University of Aberdeen. Helen also has a part-time role as a Senior Investigation Science Educator at the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch and is a scientific adviser in Human Factors and Patient Safety to NHS Education for Scotland.- Posted
-
- Medication
- WPSD22
-
(and 3 more)
Tagged with:
-
Content Article
Serious case reviews from the past twenty years have repeatedly highlighted the absence of professional curiosity as a core failing in the actions of health and social care professionals. However, 'professional curiosity' as a term is still not commonly used amongst healthcare professionals and there is no shared understanding of its meaning. This paper published by Diabetes on the Net, critically reviews current research surrounding professional curiosity and discusses the main themes. explores how inter-agency working can promote professional curiosity by supporting healthcare professionals to overcome the complex barriers that may arise during safeguarding cases. It discusses the role of Children and Young People’s diabetes clinics as an ideal platform for utilising the benefits of professional curiosity.- Posted
-
- Children and Young People
- Safety culture
- (and 4 more)
-
News Article
Government examines surge in ‘potentially preventable’ deaths
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials are concerned that many more people are dying than expected in recent months – particularly older working-age people – with NHS care delays and interruptions a likely cause. HSJ understands there is concern and analysis under way across the chief medical officer’s team and in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. The DHSC told HSJ initial work showed the biggest causes of the “excess deaths” were cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) and diabetes. This supports the case they are being caused by a combination of the current very long delays for ambulances and other emergency care, and by people with heart disease and diabetes missing out on routine checks due to Covid and its knock-on effects, HSJ was told. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 17 August 2022- Posted
-
- Patient death
- Pandemic
- (and 5 more)
-
News Article
USA: The GOP blocked an insulin price cap - what it means for diabetics
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Senate passed a sweeping budget package Sunday intended to bring financial relief to Americans, but not before Republican senators voted to strip a proposal that would have capped the price of insulin at $35 per month for many patients. A proposal that limits the monthly cost of insulin to $35 for Medicare patients was left untouched. But using a parliamentary rule, GOP lawmakers were able to jettison the part of the proposal that would apply to privately insured patients. Lowering the price of drugs such as insulin, which is used by diabetics to manage their blood sugar levels, is broadly popular with voters, polling shows. Senate Democrats denounced Republicans for voting against relief for Americans struggling to pay for the lifesaving drug. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, and about 7 million require insulin daily to manage their blood sugar levels. The insulin price cap, part of a larger package of proposals to cut prescription drug and other health-care costs, was intended to limit out-of-pocket monthly insulin costs to $35 for most Americans who use insulin. More than 1 in 5 insulin users on private medical insurance pay more than $35 per month for the medicine, according to a recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The same analysis found that the median monthly savings for those people would range from $19 to $27, depending on their type of insurance market. A Yale University study found insulin is an “extreme financial burden” for more than 14% of Americans who use it. These people are spending more than 40% of their income after food and housing costs on the medicine. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Washington Post, 8 August 2022 -
News Article
Man with diabetes died after GPs ‘failed to spot deteriorating health’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A 27-year-old man died from complications linked to diabetes after GPs failed to properly investigate his rapidly deteriorating health. Lugano Mwakosya died on 3 October 2020 from diabetic ketoacidosis, a build-up of toxic acids in the blood arising from low insulin levels, two days before he could see a GP in person. His mother, Petronella Mwasandube, believes his death could have been avoided if doctors at Strensham Road Surgery, in Birmingham, had given “adequate consideration” to Lugano’s diabetic history and offered face-to-face appointments following phone consultations on 31 July and 16 and 30 September. An independent review commissioned by NHS England found two doctors who spoke to Lugano did not take into account his diabetes or “enquire in detail and substantiate the actual cause of the patient’s symptoms”. The review raised concern over the “quality and brevity” of the phone assessments and said the surgery should have offered Lugano an in-person appointment sooner. Read full story Source: The Independent, 7 August 2022- Posted
-
- Patient death
- Diabetes
-
(and 5 more)
Tagged with:
-
News Article
NHS England patients with Type 1 diabetes will now be eligible for life-changing continuous glucose monitors after the health service secured a new cut-price deal. The wearable arm gadget sends information to a mobile app and allows diabetes patients to keep track of their glucose levels at all times without having to scan or take a finger prick test. Traditionally, continuous glucose monitors are more expensive than their flash monitor counterparts – which record glucose levels by scanning a sensor – but thanks to the NHS agreeing on a new cost-effective deal with manufacturers DEXCOM, they will now be available for NHS patients on prescription at a similar price. The monitor, called Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring, uses a sensor no bigger than a bottle cap that attaches to the arm for up to 10 days and measures glucose levels from just under the skin. Patients will receive their starter pack – which will include information on the product and usage, a sensor and transmitter – from the hospital or GP surgery once prescribed, after which they can go to the pharmacy for their repeat prescription. Dr Partha Kar, national speciality advisor for diabetes and obesity said: “This is a huge step forward for Type 1 diabetes care and these monitors will be life-changing for anyone with the illness – giving them more choice to manage their condition in the most convenient way possible – as well as the best chance at living healthier lives, reducing their risk of hospitalisation and illnesses associated with diabetes, which in turn reduces pressure on wider NHS services. “The new deal also delivers on our commitment to get patients the latest cutting-edge medical technology at the best value for taxpayer money – saving the NHS millions over the coming years”. Read full story Source: NHS England, 2 August 2022 You may also be interested in: “I felt lucky to get out alive”: why we must improve hospital safety for people with diabetes Peer support makes a big difference to living with type 1 diabetes Improving safety for diabetic inpatients: 4 key steps - Interview with Dr Partha Kar- Posted
-
- Medical device / equipment
- Monitoring
-
(and 3 more)
Tagged with:
-
Content Article
In this blog, Lotty Tizzard, Patient Safety Learning’s Content and Engagement Manager, looks at the safety issues faced by people with diabetes in hospital settings. Reflecting on feedback from Twitter users with diabetes, she looks at why so many people with diabetes fear having to stay in hospital, and asks what the NHS and its staff can do to make it a safer, less stressful environment.- Posted
-
2
-
- Diabetes
- Hospital ward
- (and 6 more)
-
Community Post
People with diabetes' experience of care in hospitals
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a topic in Diabetes
- Diabetes
- Patient harmed
- (and 4 more)
These comments were made by people with diabetes in response to a Twitter thread asking "Why is a hospital stay scary if you have diabetes?" If you have diabetes, or care for someone who does, please share your experience with us by adding a comment to this community thread, “I was in ICU after a car accident—none of the staff knew how to work my CGM and/or my insulin pump. I had to manage my own care” “For me it was when I went into hospital for surgery and the nurse said 'Type 1... so do you take insulin for that?'... that's not a reassuring thing to hear minutes before you're taken into the theatre!” “Lucky to get out alive.” “DKA 10 years ago, once back in normal range the consultant insisted I didn't need anymore insulin & refused to let me have any. Obvs within 3 hours I was back in DKA, he wouldn't come see me but had a convo with my husband on the ward phone where hubs explained how T1 works.” “I've been given a full day's bolus, through my iv and then told I was wrong when I said that I only bolused when I ate. Massive hypo followed quickly. I was then told it was my fault and I should have said something.” “After being admitted as an emergency, my own insulin ran out. I was given 2 (2!) of the wrong types of insulin and told that 'it would be okay'.” “They were often confused about T2 versus T1 - lots of emphasis about low fat foods and only being allowed a low fat yoghurt for puddings even though I was on a pump! I had a bag of snacks though as it was a planned hospital stay” “After a major medical issue I was denied insulin in the ICU for over 24 hours but was told I could have some pills to treat my type 1 diabetes” “Last time I went to the hospital, they took my pump (forcefully) and refused to give it back. When I protested, they sedated me. I was in and out of sedation having a panic attack bc I couldn’t breathe. They sedated me again and put me on DKA protocol, even tho I wasn’t in DKA.” “it’s so scary right like you know that you’re the expert on your condition and your needs but that power gets totally taken away” “Handing over your care over to a group of nurses who have no idea what they are doing. It’s super scary. I hate it when they lock it all away and you can’t get to it.” “I didn’t feel safe either. Told them on a few occasions I felt ‘low’. Finally Lucozade got wheeled out but it was almost an inconvenience” “Totally understand why they don’t know much about it if it’s not their specialism BUT some are so arrogant that what they were told one afternoon 10yrs ago is the absolutely way to deal with, and that the person living with it doesn’t know what they’re talking about!” Sarcastic responses “You seem to know a lot about it!” “The neurologist told me I am a terrible diabetic.” “I never feel safe because they don’t allow me to dose my own insulin and last time dropped me from 600 to 40 in three hours and then shot me back up so fast when i specifically told them that i would go low and high from that much insulin” Report of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while in hospital, despite telling every healthcare professional she had T1. “I smuggled in my own tester and meds and took care of myself.” “I think the biggest thing for me is them not understanding insulin dose when they’re writing up your chart and how you don’t really have a “typical” insulin dose that fits neatly into their charts because of carb counting or correction doses/reduction dose. It’s strange, when I’ve had DKA admissions and I’m on the sliding scale IV it’s fine because there’s clear guidelines but for just day to day injection management it’s soooo difficult.” "Daughter had food and insulin withheld in a mental hospital." “the ward nurses didn’t even know I had T1 until the more mobile lady opposite me went and fetched a nurse who had been ignoring my call button. I was hypo and couldn’t reach my treatment.” "Taken off insulin for two days as no doctor to prescribe." “Particularly bad experience when a nurse left the glucose drip on but turned off the insulin. It terrifies me to think how bad this could have been.”- Posted
- 1 reply
-
- Diabetes
- Patient harmed
- (and 4 more)
-
News Article
Patients who contract Covid-19 are at increased risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disorders and diabetes in the three months following infection, although the risk then declines back to baseline levels, a large UK study has found. Researchers from King’s College London say patients recovering from Covid-19 should be advised to consider measures to reduce diabetes risk including adopting a healthy diet and taking exercise. The GP medical records from more than 428,650 Covid-19 patients were matched with the same number of controls and followed up to January 2022. All patients with pre-existing diabetes or cardiovascular disease were excluded from the study, published in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. According to the analysis, diabetes mellitus diagnoses were increased by 81% in acute covid-19 and remained elevated by 27% from 4 to 12 weeks after infection. Lead study author Emma Rezel-Potts said, “While it is in the first four weeks that covid-19 patients are most at risk of these outcomes, the risk of diabetes mellitus remains increased for at least 12 weeks. Clinical and public health interventions focusing on reducing diabetes risk among those recovering from covid-19 over the longer term may be beneficial.” The researchers said that people without pre-existing cardiovascular disease or diabetes who become infected with covid-19 do not appear to have a long term increase in incidence of these conditions. Read full story Source: BMJ, 22 July 2022 -
Content Article
COVID-19 has been associated with new-onset cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM), but it is not known whether COVID-19 has long-term impacts on cardiometabolic outcomes. This study from Rezell-Potts et al. aimed to determine whether the incidence of new DM and CVDs are increased over 12 months after COVID-19 compared with matched controls. The study found that CVD was increased early after COVID-19 mainly from pulmonary embolism, atrial arrhythmias, and venous thromboses. DM incidence remained elevated for at least 12 weeks following COVID-19 before declining. People without preexisting CVD or DM who suffer from COVID-19 do not appear to have a long-term increase in incidence of these conditions. -
Content Article
This is the annual report of the National Diabetes Inpatient Audit–Harms (NaDIA-Harms) programme, which aims to monitor and reduce instances of key life-threatening diabetes specific inpatient events. The programme covers hypoglycaemic rescue, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) and diabetic foot ulcer. Overall 4,605 inpatient harms were submitted to the NaDIA-Harms audit between May 2018 and October 2020; the majority of which related to hypoglycaemic rescue (69%). This report also covers: the number of submissions of each inpatient harm. the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on inpatient harms. patient profiles of people that experience each inpatient harm. These include demographics, diabetes characteristics, treatment targets, care processes, admission characteristics and comorbidities.- Posted
-
- Diabetes
- Patient harmed
-
(and 3 more)
Tagged with:
-
Content Article
PRSB Diabetes standards (July 2022)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Diabetes
People with diabetes are increasingly using medical devices to help manage their condition, including devices for monitoring glucose and delivering insulin. However, healthcare professionals are finding that they cannot always access up to date information about a person with diabetes and the data from their medical devices. This makes it harder to provide the best advice and support. The Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB) was commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement to produce two standards for sharing diabetes information between people and professionals across all care settings, including self management data from digital apps and medical devices (for example, continuous glucose monitors). The Diabetes Information Record Standard which defines the information needed to support a person’s diabetes management. It includes information that could be recorded by health and care professionals or the person themselves that is relevant to the diabetes care of the person and should be shared between different care providers. The Diabetes Self-Management Standard which defines information that could be recorded by the person (or their carer) at home (either using digital apps or medical devices) and shared with health and care professionals. -
Content Article
In this blog Patient Safety Learning considers the safety concerns highlighted by a recent report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) into the administration of high-strength insulin from pen devices in hospitals. This blog argues that without specific and targeted recommendations to improve patient safety in this area, patients will continue to remain at risk from similar incidents.- Posted
-
1
-
- Adminstering medication
- Medication
- (and 8 more)
-
Content Article
This Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) investigation aims to help improve patient safety in relation to administering high-strength insulin from a pen device to patients with diabetes in a hospital setting. As its ‘reference case’, the investigation uses the experience of Kathleen, a 73 year old woman with type 2 diabetes who received two recognised overdoses of insulin while she was in hospital. On both occasions she became hypoglycaemic, received medical treatment, and recovered. Patient Safety Learning has published a blog reflecting on some of the key patient safety issues highlighted in this report.- Posted
-
- Investigation
- Diabetes
- (and 7 more)
-
Content Article
Blog - When diabetes devices fail (8 December 2020)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Diabetes
In this article for US magazine Consumer Reports, Rachel Rabkin Peachman looks at the incidence and impact of malfunctions and design flaws in continuous blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps and other diabetes equipment. She highlights the case of Pamela, a 64-year-old with diabetes who died when her insulin pump unintentionally gave her a massive dose of insulin overnight. The numbers of adverse events and deaths reported to the FDA regarding diabetes devices is far greater than for any other type of medical device—between January 2019 and July 2020, almost 400 deaths and 66,000 injuries in the US were linked to commonly used diabetes devices. Reports are spread across the different device manufacturers and demonstrate the complexities of trying to determine the exact cause of each adverse event. The article also includes information on how people with diabetes can protect themselves from device malfunctions and errors.- Posted
-
- Diabetes
- Patient death
-
(and 4 more)
Tagged with:
-
Content Article
This Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) investigation explores medicines omission among patients with learning disabilities who are cared for in medium and low secure wards in mental health hospitals. A medicine omission is when a patient doesn't receive medicines that have been prescribed to them, and the investigation focused on a number of factors that could contribute to omission: the environment in which medicines administration takes place the availability and use of learning disability nurses in these environments the skills required for nurses to help patients with learning disabilities be involved in choices about their medicines. For it's reference event, the investigation looked at the case of Luke, who was detained in a medium secure ward of a mental health hospital. He spent 21 months on the ward before moving into a low secure ward at the same hospital, where he stayed for a further 11 months. Both wards were specifically designated for patients with learning disabilities. While at the hospital, there were a number of periods when Luke was not given the physical health medication he had been prescribed for his diabetes and high cholesterol. Although Luke’s medication record regularly noted that Luke refused the medication, Luke and his Mother disagreed with this version of events, stating that other factors led to Luke’s medicine omissions.- Posted
-
1
-
- Learning disabilities
- Medication
- (and 6 more)
-
Content Article
Staying in hospital can be a frightening experience for people with diabetes. In 2017, an estimated 9,600 people required rescue treatment after falling into a coma following a severe hypoglycaemic attack in hospital and 2,200 people suffered from Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) due to under treatment with insulin. This report by Diabetes UK outlines the patient safety issues and suggests the following measures are needed to make hospitals safer for people with diabetes: multidisciplinary diabetes inpatient teams in all hospitals better support in hospitals for people to take ownership of their diabetes better access to systems and technology more support to help hospitals learn from mistakes strong clinical leadership from diabetes inpatient teams knowledgeable healthcare professionals who understand diabetes.- Posted
-
- Diabetes
- Medicine - Diabetes and Endocrinology
- (and 5 more)
-
News Article
Diabetes patients have been warned that non-attendance at eye-test appointments puts them at greater risk of developing unnecessary sight loss. The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) has described the attendance rates at clinics in Northern Ireland as "alarmingly low" . It said 20% to 40% of patients were not showing up for their appointments on any given day. Prof Tunde Peto, clinical lead for the NI Diabetic Eye Screening Programme, said the most common of many complications caused by diabetes was diabetic eye disease. Diabetes can cause cataracts early on but it can also affect the retina at the back of the eye, "which will eventually lead to sight loss if not treated on time," Prof Peto explained. "Diabetic retinopathy causes no symptoms until it can be just about too late to treat," she said. Ian Catlin from Ballymoney has experienced sight loss due to diabetic retinopathy. He has had Type 1 diabetes since childhood and became aware of problems with his eyesight in his mid-30s. Mr Catlin said he put off asking for medical help because of the fear of what he would be told."I did eventually go, but you're scared and you put your head in the sand," he said.Read full story Source: BBC News, 15 June 2022- Posted
-
- Appointment
- Diabetes
-
(and 2 more)
Tagged with:
-
Content Article
Type 1 diabetes is a life-long condition that causes the level of glucose in a person’s blood to be too high. It is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that allows the body to use glucose as energy. It cannot be cured, and people with diabetes need to inject or infuse insulin multiple times a day to control their blood sugar levels. Peer support communities can help people with type 1 diabetes to manage their condition safely and feel less isolated. In this blog, Paul Sandells, a diabetes peer supporter and advocate, talks about the important role of peer support in helping people with type 1 diabetes improve their blood glucose control and deal with the burden that diabetes can place on daily life.- Posted
-
- Patient engagement
- Patient / family support
- (and 4 more)
-
News Article
Child diabetes referrals in England and Wales jump 50% amid obesity crisis
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The number of children being treated at paediatric diabetes units (PDUs) in England and Wales has increased by more than 50% amid a “perfect storm” of rising obesity levels and the cost of living crisis, health leaders have said. Diabetes UK said alarming obesity levels among children had led to a “concerning climb” in the number diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and predicted that the cost of living crisis could lead to further problems in the years to come. Data from NHS Digital shows that almost one in seven children start primary school obese – a rise of almost 50% in just a year. More than a quarter are obese by the time they finish primary school. The high levels of obesity combined with the squeeze on personal finances are creating a “perfect storm which risks irreversible harm to the health of young people”, Diabetes UK said. It accused the government of “letting our children down” as it called for concerted action to tackle obesity. Chris Askew, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “We are very concerned that this spike in childhood obesity will translate into an even greater increase in children with type 2 diabetes in the coming years, a crisis fuelled by longstanding health inequalities and made worse still by impacts of the cost of living crisis." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 15 June 2022- Posted
-
- Health inequalities
- Health Disparities
- (and 3 more)
-
News Article
Covid lockdown blamed for deaths of more than 3,000 people with diabetes
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A lack of diabetes checks following the first Covid lockdown may have killed more than 3,000 people, a major NHS study suggests. Those with the condition are supposed to undergo regular checks to detect cardiac problems, infections and other changes that could prove deadly. But researchers said a move to remote forms of healthcare delivery and a reduction in routine care meant some of the most crucial physical examinations did not take place during the 12 months following the first lockdown. Experts said the findings showed patients had suffered “absolutely devastating” consequences and were being “pushed to the back of the queue”. The study, led by Prof Jonathan Valabhji, the national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, links the rise in deaths to a fall in care the previous year. It showed that, during 2020/21, just 26.5% of diabetes patients received their full set of checks, compared with 48.1% the year before. Those who got all their checks in 2019-20 but did not receive them the following year had mortality rates 66% higher than those who did not miss out, the study, published in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, found. The study shows that foot checks, which rely on physical appointments, saw the sharpest drop, falling by more than 37%. “The care process with the greatest reduction was the one that requires the most in-person contact – foot surveillance – possibly reflecting issues around social distancing, lockdown measures, and the move to remote forms of healthcare delivery,” the study found. Those in the poorest areas were most likely to miss out. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph, 30 May 2022- Posted
-
- Secondary impact
- Pandemic
- (and 5 more)
-
Content Article
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, part of the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care, highlighted an emerging signal of increased non-COVID-19-related deaths in England between July and October, 2021, with a potentially disproportionate higher increase in people with diabetes. Valabhji et al. aimed to substantiate and quantify this apparent excess mortality, and to investigate the association between diabetes routine care delivery and non-COVID-19-related-mortality in people with diabetes before and after the onset of the pandemic. They examined whether completion of eight diabetes care processes in each of the two years before the index mortality year was associated with non-COVID-19-related death. Results of the study show an increased risk of mortality in those who did not receive all eight care processes in one or both of the previous two years. These results provide evidence that the increased rate of non-COVID-19-related mortality in people with diabetes in England observed between 3 July and 15 October 2021 is associated with a reduction in completion of routine diabetes care processes following the pandemic onset in 2020.- Posted
-
- Diabetes
- Medicine - Diabetes and Endocrinology
- (and 5 more)
-
Content Article
This qualitative descriptive study in the journal BMC Nursing aimed to analyse the experiences of patients with type 2 diabetes during the stay-at-home order in place during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. It looked at the experiences of ten patients with type 2 diabetes living in Catalonia and identified the strategies and resources they used to manage their care. The study found that many people with type 2 diabetes reported effective self-care during confinement and were able to adapt well using the resources available, without face-to-face contact with primary care health staff.