Author Interviews, Diabetes, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 29.06.2021
ADA21: Disparate Impact of COVID-19 on People with Diabetes
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
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Dr. Mary de Groot[/caption]
Mary de Groot, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Immediate Past President, Health Care and Education, American Diabetes Association
Acting Director, Diabetes Translational Research Center
Indianapolis, IN 46202
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The experience of quarantine in the context of epidemics has been shown to have significant emotional effects including depression, anxiety, shock, and trauma that not only effect people in the context of quarantine, but up to 2-3 years beyond the end of the quarantine period (Brooks et al., 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has had extraordinary impacts on health and mental health in the general population across the globe including increased rates of depression and anxiety compared to pre-pandemic levels (Xiong, 2020; Wilson, 2020; Luo, 2020).
There is some early evidence that the pandemic adversely affected people with diabetes as well (Fisher, 2020; Alessi, 2020). It is important to explore the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with diabetes given the particular risk factor that diabetes (along with other metabolic diseases) represents for mortality if the virus is acquired.
We conducted a longitudinal web-based survey of N=2210 adults with and without diabetes to assess the emotional correlates of COVID-19 in terms of depression, diabetes distress, perceived stress and anxiety. We present the baseline (measured in May/June of 2020) and 6-month follow up (measured in November/December 2020) findings.
Dr. Mary de Groot[/caption]
Mary de Groot, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Immediate Past President, Health Care and Education, American Diabetes Association
Acting Director, Diabetes Translational Research Center
Indianapolis, IN 46202
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The experience of quarantine in the context of epidemics has been shown to have significant emotional effects including depression, anxiety, shock, and trauma that not only effect people in the context of quarantine, but up to 2-3 years beyond the end of the quarantine period (Brooks et al., 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has had extraordinary impacts on health and mental health in the general population across the globe including increased rates of depression and anxiety compared to pre-pandemic levels (Xiong, 2020; Wilson, 2020; Luo, 2020).
There is some early evidence that the pandemic adversely affected people with diabetes as well (Fisher, 2020; Alessi, 2020). It is important to explore the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with diabetes given the particular risk factor that diabetes (along with other metabolic diseases) represents for mortality if the virus is acquired.
We conducted a longitudinal web-based survey of N=2210 adults with and without diabetes to assess the emotional correlates of COVID-19 in terms of depression, diabetes distress, perceived stress and anxiety. We present the baseline (measured in May/June of 2020) and 6-month follow up (measured in November/December 2020) findings.
Scott Gray[/caption]
Scott Gray: Founder and CEO of Clincierge, the global leader in patient support services for clinical trials. With a team of patient coordinators around the world, Clincierge helps patients and their caregivers navigate the logistics of clinical trial participation, including prepaid air travel, ground transportation, and lodging as well as rapid reimbursements, translation and interpretation services, and individual solutions for trial participants in remote locations or with complex medical needs. For more information, visit clincierge.com.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the mission of Clincierge?
Background: To identify individual-level factors associated with COVID-19-related impacts on recovery in 216 participants originally enrolled in the SUBLOCADE® (buprenorphine extended-release) clinical program.
Within the fifteen-month study 216 participants, during the period of September 2021 through January 2021, were asked how the COVID-19 crisis affected their recovery from substance use, utilizing self-reported measures.
Dr. Begdache[/caption]
Lina Begdache, PhD, RDN, CDN, CNS-S, FAND
Assistant Professor
Health and Wellness Studies Department GW 15
Decker School of Nursing
Binghamton University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: My research focuses on understanding the link between the modifiable risk factors (such as diet, sleep and exercise) and mental distress. In this study, adults of different age-groups (18 years and older) were followed for 4 weeks. Participants recorded their dietary intake, sleep quality, exercise frequency, their physical and mental wellbeing on a daily basis.
Another research interest of mine is to assess these factors in relation to sex (different brain morphology) and age-groups (based on brain maturity). The rationale of this categorization is that brain morphology and brain development vs maintenance and repair may require a different repertoire of food and environmental factors. Therefore, we also studied the sex and age-groups effect.
We also added the season factor as one of our
Dr. Nation[/caption]
Daniel A. Nation, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor of Psychological Science
Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders
University of California, Irvin
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Hypertension is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, and treatment of hypertension has been linked to decreased risk for cognitive impairment.
Prior studies have attempted to identify which specific type of antihypertensive treatment conveys the most benefit for cognition, but findings have been mixed regarding this question. We hypothesized that antihypertensive drugs acting on the brain angiotensin system may convey the greatest benefit since they affect the brain angiotensin system that has been implicated in memory function.
Dr. Forbes[/caption]
Lisa Forbes, Ph.D, LPC, NCC
Clinical Assistant Professor
Counseling Program
University of Colorado Denver
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: The most common mode of learning in tertiary education is lecture-based learning despite the knowledge that more active, engaged, and flexible approaches to teaching may better support the learning process. This study aimed to understand graduate students’ experiences with a playful pedagogy as an alternative approach to learning.
Dr. Seifi[/caption]
Ali Seifi, MD, FACP, FNCS, FCCM
Associate Professor
Director of Neuro Critical Care,
Fellowship Director, CAST Neurosurgery Critical Care
Department of Neurosurgery, Neurology, Anesthesiology and Medicine
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Dr. Conner[/caption]
Christopher Conner, MD, PhD
Neurosurgery resident
McGovern Medical School
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: There has been a growing understanding in medicine that the incidence of motor vehicle trauma is changing. We have watched as Friday and Saturday night emergencies have declined without a good explanation. Several other studies have investigated this, but the results were not conclusive.
We think that is due to a lack of data from the rideshare companies and hospitals directly