Table 3.
Challenges of people with type 2 diabetes in accessing and using diabetes care during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 206).
| Level of difficulty n (%) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Statements describing access and use of diabetes care | Challenging | Somewhat challenging | Not challenging |
| Having regular appointments with the diabetes doctor | 36 (17.6) | 26 (12.7) | 143 (69.8) |
| Receiving a lot of information about COVID-19 from many sources | 29 (14.4) | 30 (14.9) | 142 (70.6) |
| Communicating concerns about diabetes management with the health care team (doctor, nurse, dietitian, or diabetes educator) | 22 (10.8) | 19 (9.3) | 163 (79.9) |
| Doing regular lab tests | 16 (7.8) | 20 (9.8) | 168 (82.4) |
| Obtaining diabetes medicines from the pharmacy | 9 (4.4) | 12 (5.9) | 183 (89.7) |
| Receiving counseling from the pharmacists about the use of prescribed diabetes treatment | 10 (4.9) | 10 (4.9) | 184 (90.2) |
| Getting a prescription from the doctor | 9 (4.4) | 10 (4.9) | 186 (90.7) |
| Obtaining diabetes medical supplies (e.g., insulin syringes or pens, test strips, etc.) | 7 (3.4) | 10 (4.9) | 187 (91.7) |
| Paying for diabetes medicine | 13 (6.4) | 2 (1.0) | 188 (92.6) |
| Using prescribed diabetes medicine as prescribed by the doctor | 3 (1.5) | 3 (1.5) | 198 (97.1) |