Healthcare Seeking and Mortality of Patients with Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Colombia: a Nationwide Study
Introduction: Besides the direct health implications of COVID-19, the pandemic and its containment measures have had multiple negative consequences, especially in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Objective: To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality rates and hea...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Published: |
Universidad de Antioquia
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Iatreia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revistas.udea.edu.co/index.php/iatreia/article/view/356227 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: Besides the direct health implications of COVID-19, the pandemic and its containment measures have had multiple negative consequences, especially in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality rates and health care seeking among individuals with diabetes in Colombia.
Methods: A nationwide ecological panel study was conducted using secondary data from Colombian official records of mortality and medical attentions due to diabetes between 2015 and 2021. Aggregated data of hospitalizations, ambulatory and emergency care visits, as well as death rates due to diabetes were assessed once adjusted by health care infrastructure and rurality.
Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mortality rate from diabetes increased by 30.4%, and the average rate of medical attention increased by 67.2%, in which ambulatory care arose by 44.6% and hospitalizations by 42.3%. Rurality was inversely associated with health visits, and the availability of tertiary care institutions was associated with both diabetes mortality and consultations.
Conclusions: An important increase in consultations and mortality rates among diabetes patients was observed during the COVID-19 crisis in Colombia. The results suggest that people without access to specialized health services were neglected. The actual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with diabetes remains unclear. |
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| ISSN: | 0121-0793 2011-7965 |