Effects of Two COVID-19 Lockdowns on HbA1c Levels in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes and Associations with Digital Treatment, Health Literacy, and Diabetes Self-Management: A Multicenter, Observational Cohort Study Over 3 Years.

Introduction: Short-term studies reported improved glycemic control and a decrease in eHbA1c (estimated hemoglobin A1c) in patients with type 1 diabetes during COVID-19 lockdown, but long-term changes are unknown. Therefore, the main objectives are to (1) analyze whether laboratory-measured HbA1c changed during and after two lockdowns and (2) investigate potential variables influencing HbA1c change.

Methods: In this cohort study, 291 adults with type 1 diabetes were followed over 3 years including the prepandemic phase and two lockdowns.

Impact of two COVID-19 lockdowns on HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and associations with patient characteristics: a multicentre, observational cohort study over three years.

Introduction: Glycemic effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are controversial. In this long-term observation, we aimed (1) to analyze changes in HbA1c levels during lockdowns in Germany, and (2) to investigate whether diabetes medication, comorbidities, and sociodemographic data influenced these changes.

Materials And Methods: This cohort study observed 1,089 patients aged ≥18 years over the years 2019 to 2021.

Association between patient-related factors and avoided consultations due to fear of COVID-19 during the first lockdown in northern Germany: Results of a cross-sectional observational study.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were anxious about a coronavirus infection due to the high infection rate and the mortality risk associated with the disease. Fear of COVID-19 might have influenced patients' utilisation of medical services, even if it meant that a postponed therapy had severe consequences. Our aims were to analyse (a) to what extent fear of COVID-19 contributes to forgone consultations, (b) if patient characteristics, health literacy and social support influence the effect of fear of COVID-19 on the utilisation behaviour and (c) whether interactions between these possible predictor variables are responsible for a higher extent of avoided consultations due to fear of COVID-19.

The Link Between Health Literacy and Three Conditions of Metabolic Syndrome: Obesity, Diabetes and Hypertension.

Purpose: Health literacy (HL) intervention could be a potential prevention strategy to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome (MS), but the association between low HL and MS is controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether low HL is associated with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, considering them as one cluster.

Methods: We used data from the Hamburg Diabetes Prevention Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study in Germany.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on consultation numbers, consultation reasons and performed services in primary care: results of a longitudinal observational study.

Objectives: The aims of our study were to describe the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on primary care in Germany regarding the number of consultations, the prevalence of specific reasons for consultation presented by the patients, and the frequency of specific services performed by the GP.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal observational study based on standardised GP interviews in a quota sampling design comparing the time before the COVID-19 pandemic (12 June 2015 to 27 April 2017) with the time during lockdown (21 April to 14 July 2020). The sample included GPs in urban and rural areas 120 km around Hamburg, Germany, and was stratified by region type and administrative districts.

Low health literacy is associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Germany.

Background: Low health literacy is believed to be associated with behaviours that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. But there is limited knowledge on the relation between health literacy (HL) and diabetes risk, and whether improving HL could be a potential prevention strategy. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to examine the link between HL and diabetes risk among non-diabetic adults.