Psychosocial health in people with diabetes during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark

• Published in: Journal of diabetes and its complications Vol. 35; no. 4; p. 107858
• Main Authors: Madsen, Kristoffer Panduro, Willaing, Ingrid, Rod, Naja Hulvej, Varga, Tibor V., Joensen, Lene Eide
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.04.2021; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Communicable Disease Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - psychology; Denmark; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus - psychology; Female; Humans; Loneliness; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Psychosocial factors; Quality of Life; Social Isolation; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Denmark; COVID-19; Loneliness; Social isolation; Diabetes mellitus; Psychosocial factors; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1056-8727; 1873-460X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2021.107858

To analyze trajectories of psychosocial health among people with diabetes during the first three months of lockdowns and reopenings of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark. An online longitudinal survey of 2430 people with diabetes consisting of six questionnaire waves (Q1-Q6) was conducted between March 19 and June 25, 2020. Psychosocial outcomes assessed were COVID-19 worries, quality of life, feelings of social isolation, psychological distress, diabetes distress, anxiety, and general and diabetes-specific loneliness. Trajectories in psychosocial health were analyzed with linear multilevel mixed-effects models. Subgroup analyses were conducted. In total, 1366 (56%) people with diabetes responded to the first questionnaire. COVID-19 worries, feelings of social isolation, psychological distress, anxiety and general loneliness had all improved at Q6 compared to Q1 (p < 0.001). In general, improvements in psychosocial health started after the first reopening phase (April 15); however, general loneliness increased up to the first reopening phase (p ≤  0.001) before decreasing, and quality of life decreased up to the first reopening phase (p = 0.002), with no improvements to follow. Subgroup analyses revealed that women had larger decreases in feelings of social isolation (p < 0.001) and in psychological distress (p = 0.035) and increases in quality of life (p < 0.001), between Q1 and Q6, compared to men. Psychosocial health in people with diabetes improved following reopening of society. However, increases in loneliness and decreases in quality of life during lockdown indicates a potential need to mitigate the acute effects of such policies. •COVID-19 worries, and feelings of social isolation decreased from March to June.•Psychological distress, anxiety and loneliness decreased from March to June.•Loneliness increased during lockdown, but decreased during reopening.•Quality of life deteriorated during lockdown, but did not improve during reopening.