The impact of lockdown measures during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the management of diabetes in a Northern Gauteng Region of South Africa

Abstract

Introduction: coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2), a global pandemic, popularised the term “lockdown” due to its rapid spread around the world. “Lockdown” was used as an emergency measure to temporarily prevent people from entering or leaving their communities in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus. The effects of the “lockdown” measures on the management of chronic medical conditions in African populations have been inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the effects of the lockdown on glycaemic control in patients with diabetes.

Methods: retrospective study that examined metadata from 1^st January 2019 to 31^st December 2021, to assess the impact of the national SARS-CoV-2 response on the quantity and average level of haemoglobin A1c and random glucose in patients with diabetes at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital. The data was retrieved from the National Health Laboratory Services corporate data warehouse.

Results: from 2019 to 2021, a total of 9,039 tests were performed, with females accounting for 63.21% (n = 5,714) and males for 36.08% (n = 3,261), while 0.7% (n = 70) did not have an assigned gender. Mean age was 49, with a standard deviation (SD) of 21.71. The testing rate (TR) in 2019 was 10.74 per day, 2020 had a TR of 6.07, and 2021 had a TR of 7.95. During the pandemic phase, all other age groups had TRs below 1.85, except the 50-59, 60-69, and 70+ year-old groups.

Conclusion: the study revealed that SARS-CoV-2 lockdown measures were linked to poor diabetes control in patients. As a result, the consequences of managing SARS-CoV-2 had a direct influence on diabetes management.