Sponsored Post

Covid-19’s terrible toll on diabetes patients. What can be done?

The public health crisis has undermined the economy and made people with chronic conditions more vulnerable and stressed. A validated program that can effectively help people manage their disease is invaluable, especially at a time when in-person physician visits are unavailable.

By Stephanie Baum on December 02, 2020
The impact Covid-19 has had on people with chronic conditions has been dramatic. Among those younger than 65 who died from the virus, 20% had diabetes, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on data collected through November 14. The virus poses myriad challenges for people struggling with Type 2 diabetes, which requires constant, long-term management. But the stress caused by Covid-19’s impact on the economy, and indirectly by the CDC guidance to reduce risk of contracting Covid-19 by social distancing, can also cause depression, which many people with chronic conditions struggle with as it is. More than 200 healthcare professionals from 47 countries have ranked diabetes as the condition that will be most impacted by the reduction in healthcare resources due to Covid-19, according to a new report from
Omada Health: 5 reasons why Covid-19 makes digital diabetes treatment critical.
  The public health crisis drives home the need for diabetes management programs with an effectiveness that can help vulnerable people weather this trying time. The rapid scaling up of telehealth options by hospitals to reduce the number of people coming to the hospital has been a significant development that could be a great source of comfort long after the virus is no longer a public health crisis. And yet, gaps remain in telehealth services.  Covid-19 has made the need for personalized care even more important. It’s critical that people with diabetes have access to support that fits their lifestyle, and is accessible when they need it most, according to the Omada Health report. Omada for Diabetes program participants achieved meaningful outcomes four months after beginning the program, even prior to the inclusion of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), according to a new study conducted between  November 2019 and July 2020. Four months after beginning the program, participants decreased total cholesterol by 39 points on average for people with high cholesterol.  All study participants also reduced average Hemoglobin A1c by 0.8 percent, including a 1.4 percent average reduction for individuals with starting values at or above 9 percent. To learn more about the impact of Covid-19 on people with diabetes and the Omada for Diabetes program, Fill in the form below to download 5 reasons why Covid-19 makes digital diabetes treatment critical.
Photo: NicoElNino, Getty Images