People with type 1 diabetes report preference for in-person visits to resume post-pandemic
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More people with type 1 diabetes reported a desire to return to in-person visits than to continue telemedicine appointments after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to survey results.
In spring 2020, Sam N. Scott, PhD, a research fellow in the department of diabetes, endocrinology, nutritional medicine and metabolism at Bern University Hospital in Switzerland and head of research for Team Novo Nordisk Professional Cycling Team in Atlanta, and colleagues anonymously surveyed people with type 1 diabetes through a questionnaire on social media. Questions assessed perceptions and use of telemedicine appointments, diabetes treatment and control, and access to medical supplies.
Between May 9 and 15, 2021, Scott and colleagues conducted the survey again and compared the 531 new responses to the 7,477 responses from the original survey. Respondents came from 40 countries, with 54% from Europe and 36% from North America. There were no significant differences in sex, mean HbA1c or treatment method between the two cohorts.
In the 2021 group, 45% of respondents reported willingness to continue remote appointments vs. 75% in 2020 (P < .001).
In the 2021 group, 67% of respondents reported attending remote appointments with their health care providers, which increased from 28% of respondents in 2020. There was a significant shift in appointment modality, from 72% phone calls and 28% video calls in 2020 to 50% phone calls and 45% video calls in 2021.
Satisfaction with remote visits was similar between 2020 and 2021, with 86% and 83%, respectively, reporting the appointments were “somewhat to extremely useful.”
When prompted about future remote appointments, 51% of those with phone appointments and 52% with video appointments said they would consider continuing appointments remotely after the pandemic. Other participants who would consider continuing remote appointments were 35% of people using multiple daily injections, 53% of people using an insulin pump, 38% of European respondents and 51% of North American respondents.
Because a greater proportion of North American participants used an insulin pump than European respondents, Scott and colleagues suggested future research examine whether the type of diabetes technology used affects a person’s intent in continuing telemedicine appointments.
Only 12% of respondents reported having trouble accessing diabetes supplies and medication, with 6% citing access to continuous glucose monitors, 5% citing insulin and 3% citing testing strips, the researchers wrote.
The study was limited by a shorter period for collecting survey responses in 2021 (2 weeks vs. 10 weeks in 2020), only patients with internet and technology access being able to participate, and most participants being from the same countries as the researchers.
“It seems that a personalized approach is needed since a substantial proportion of patients in this follow-up still indicated a preference for — and some of them possibly need — in-person diabetes care,” Scott and colleagues wrote. “Therefore, the extent to which telemedicine is implemented in the future should likely be considered on an individual basis, and there are still areas to be improved within the delivery of telemedicine for people living with type 1 diabetes.”
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