August 25, 2020 Mental health strain of living with diabetes during COVID-19

Everybody is feeling stressed due to COVID, so with a baseline of greater likelihood of mood disorder and greater risk if we catch COVID, it’s no wonder that people with diabetes are feeling extra anxious. 

In a survey done in June 2020 to which 1,000 Canadians affected by diabetes responded, 40 per cent cited greater concerns about their mental health and 45 per cent their emotional health at this time. And yet 45 per cent weren’t sure where they would turn for mental health supports. 43 per cent reported feeling anxious and nervous and 37 per cent felt isolated and alone due to COVID. And those feelings seem to make it harder for some to manage their diabetes as actively as they’d like to, which puts their physical and mental health at even greater risk. 

Neither COVID nor diabetes is going anywhere anytime soon, so we need to act now to better support the mental health of all Canadians, in particular those affected by diabetes. Here’s what Diabetes Canada is doing about it: 

1. We’re offering even more patient education and supports, including videos with expert advice on managing diabetes distress, online education classes for those with type 2 diabetes, and personalized medical advice from diabetes educators who can be reached at 1-800-BANTING. 

2. At our upcoming conferences we’ll have sessions to help people with diabetes and their health care providers learn more about how to manage diabetes distress, including a session by expert Dr. Michael Vallis at our Know No Limits with T1D conference in September. 

3. Our Diabetes 360° strategy recommends that all people with diabetes have access to interdisciplinary care teams that include mental health care providers. We’re calling on our federal government to join with provincial and territorial governments to implement this strategy and improve the care of those with diabetes in time for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin in Canada in 2021. 

4. We’re collaborating with JDRF Canada to bring to Canada specialized training in diabetes distress management for health care professionals wanting to provide more tailored supports for those with diabetes, which will greatly increase access of Canadians with diabetes to mental health care. 

People with diabetes are by no means unique among Canadians needing additional mental health supports in these trying and unprecedented times. That’s why health policy makers need to ensure that our recovery plan is a comprehensive approach to treating both COVID and the underlying conditions that make Canadians more vulnerable to it.