Opinion of Diabetic Patients on the Difficulties of Their Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: This COVID-19 pandemic represents a major challenge for ensuring continuity of care during a health crisis and raises questions about the risks incurred in the event of chronic illness (es). Among these, diabetes affects more than half a million people in Belgium, one in five of whom is over 65 years old. This study aims to understand the opinions of patients suffering from diabetes on the difficulties of their care during the covid19 pandemic. Methods: This is a qualifying phenomenological study, it is exploratory descriptive. It falls within the field of public health. The target population consisted of patients suffering from diabetes and who receive care either on an outpatient basis or in hospitalization at the diabetology department of the General Provincial Reference Hospital of Kinshasa, the number of which is nine diabetics. She used the phenomenological inquiry method and the face-to-face semi-structured interview technique. Results: After analyzing the collected data, we found the following results: diabetics were treated by home care, by telephone contact following the instructions of the diabetologist, but also by self-care. The difficulties encountered by diabetics are linked to the freedom to freely engage in physical exercises and other activities and those to contact with the healthcare team; and these difficulties encountered have generated a psychological discomfort. In terms of expectations, diabetics want caregivers to grant them a certain framework of freedom and to computerize the care system (telemedicine or telenursing). Conclusion: Considering these results, we strongly suggest that all health facilities that care for diabetics implement telemedicine and/or telenursing in the care of diabetics during periods such as the pandemic.