Diabetes and COVID‐19: psychosocial consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic in people with diabetes in Denmark—what characterizes people with high levels of COVID‐19‐related worries?

Aim To map COVID‐19‐specific worries and overall psychosocial health among people with diabetes in the initial phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Denmark, and to explore characteristics of people with diabetes and high levels of worries related to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted by distributing online questionnaires to 2430 adult members (> 18 years) of two user panels consisting of people with diabetes who have volunteered to share information about their life with diabetes. The questionnaire included items on COVID‐19‐specific worries as well as such worries related to diabetes, sociodemographic and health status, social relations, diabetes‐specific social support, diabetes distress and changes in diabetes‐specific behaviours. Responses were analysed with descriptive statistics and logistic regressions. Results People with diabetes have COVID‐19‐specific worries related to their diabetes. More than half were worried about being overly affected due to diabetes if infected with COVID‐19, about one‐third about being characterized as a risk group due to diabetes and not being able to manage diabetes if infected. Logistic regressions showed that being female, having type 1 diabetes, diabetes complications and diabetes distress, feeling isolated and lonely, and having changed diabetes behaviours were associated with being more worried about COVID‐19 and diabetes. Conclusion People with diabetes have COVID‐19‐specific worries related to their diabetes which is associated with poorer psychosocial health. These worries should be addressed through support targeting specific questions and needs of individuals with diabetes as well as frequent updates on new knowledge regarding COVID‐19 and diabetes. What’s new? Little is known about how worldwide pandemics affect the psychosocial health of people with diabetes. This study showed a high prevalence of diabetes‐specific worries related to COVID‐19, especially fear of being overly affected by the virus, labelling of people with diabetes as a high‐risk group, and inability to manage diabetes if infected. Female gender, type 1 diabetes, diabetes complications, isolation, loneliness, high diabetes distress and behaviour changes were associated with being more worried about COVID‐19 and diabetes. When providing information and support to people with diabetes in time of crisis, attention should be payed to crisis‐specific worries in specific groups.