This study aims to investigate rates of compliance to testing guidelines and glycaemic control among higher-risk groups of patients with type 2 diabetes in Australian general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a serial cross-sectional study design of patient record data from general practices representative of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, between 2020 and 2022. Aggregated patient records were analysed to determine mean percentages of subgroups with a blood glycaemic testing interval consistent with guidelines (≥1 within 15 months) and achieving target glycaemic control (by glycated haemoglobin of 7%). Linear regression models were fit to test the association between independent and dependent variables and generate regression coefficients and 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI), correcting for any time trends.
Of the average 14,356 patient records per month, 55% were male , 53% had a Body Mass Index (BMI) <30, and 55% were aged 55-74 years. Compliance to testing guidelines slightly decreased (75% to 73%) but was positively associated with male sex (2.5%, 95%CI: 1.7, 3.4), BMI 30 (9.6%, 95%CI: 8.8, 10.4), 55-74 years (7.6%, 95%CI: 6.6, 8.5) and 75-years and over age groups (7.1%, 95%CI: 6.2, 7.9). Target glycaemic control slightly increased and was negatively associated with male sex (-3.7%, 95%CI: -5.2, -2.2), but positively associated with 55-74 years (4.5%, 95%CI: 3.8, 5.1) and 75 years and over age groups (12.2%, 95%CI: 4.5, 20.0). Compliance to testing guidelines increased with each additional general practice per 10,000 persons (8.4%, 95%CI: 4.9, 11.8).
Compliance rates to glycaemic testing guidelines remained unaffected, whereas glycaemic control rates showed slightly positive associations among all subgroups of patients with type 2 diabetes in Australia, even among higher-risk groups, during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the findings of this study are encouraging, the longer term impact ofCOVID-19 on type 2 diabetes care is still unclear.
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