Learning from COVID-19 for more resilient health systems and improved care
Although COVID-19 has impacted everyone, people living with diabetes (PwD) have paid and continue to pay a heavier toll. They are at heightened risk of developing a serious and more deadly form of the disease. COVID-19 has disrupted access to care, essential complications screening, and diagnosis, potentially leading to severe complications over the longer term. The burden associated with the lockdown measures imposed in many countries has constrained people’s ability to exercise and/or eat healthily and caused psychological distress.
IDF Europe’s COVID-19 activities aim to:
- Support PwD through resources, information exchange, and advocacy work during and after the crisis.
- Share the learnings and experiences from the crisis to promote stronger healthcare systems for a lasting systemic change in diabetes care and improve the preparedness of healthcare systems and the diabetes community to counteract future health emergencies.
- Ensure that diabetes remains a high priority for policymakers and health professionals in the response and recovery phase and over the long term.
COVID-19 Resources:
Read the report of IDF Europe’s Diabetes & COVID-19 survey which was conducted between August and October of 2020. The aim of the survey was to gather perspectives from PwD on their lives during the pandemic. The survey recorded responses from 3,480 PwD in 32 European countries. One of the key findings of the report revealed that the pandemic had a severe impact on the mental health of PwD, with over 50% of respondents reporting a deterioration in their mental health and over 40% indicating feeling very or extremely more anxious during this period. The report also highlights many geographical inequalities in access to diabetes care across Europe. Difficulties in access, as well as financial worries, were especially marked in central and eastern European countries as well as in the south of Europe. Download the report to read more about the findings and also IDF Europe’s recommendations for restructuring health systems post-pandemic.
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Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on people living with diabetes and their care in various European countries:
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On April 22, 2021, IDF Europe hosted a webinar titled ‘Leveraging Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic – The Need for an Inclusivity Shift’. Watch a recording of the event here. At the webinar Sabine Dupont, Senior Consultant at IDF Europe presented the results of the Diabetes & COVID-19 survey. The PowerPoint presentation is available to download here.
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- Diabetes & COVID-19 Vaccination and treatments – Read more
- How viral vector vaccines work – Infographic
- How mRNA vaccines work – Infographic
- EPF Guide: Let’s talk about vaccination – Read more
- Recording: Let’s talk about vaccination – Watch
- The IDC webinar on the “Prevention for People living with Diabetes in COVID Times” – Watch a recording of the webinar, read the report
- IDF Europe Position Paper on Vaccination of People with Diabetes – Read more, download the position paper in Italian
- IDF Europe Report “Living in Covid-19 Times: Experiences from People Living with Diabetes” – Download
- Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the supply of essential diabetes medicines, technologies and supplies – Read more
- Ensuring people-centred diabetes care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences from Portugal – Download
- Diabetes in Portugal in the time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflecting on the year 2020 – Download
- COVID-19 infection in Italian people with diabetes: Lessons learned for our future (an experience to be used) – Read the article, Read our interview with Sandro Gentile
- COVID-19 and diabetes, a webinar by APDP – Watch now
- Diabetes and COVID-19: When two pandemics meet: Harnessing digital health – Watch a recording of the webinar