FRIDAY, Nov. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Young adults with diabetes are most likely to report having missed medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic and have lower intention of receiving COVID-19 vaccination, according to research published in the Nov. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Mark É. Czeisler, Ph.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues administered an internet-based survey to 5,261 U.S. adults aged 18 years or older during February to March 2021 to examine access to and use of health care, as well as experiences, attitudes, and behaviors relating to COVID-19 prevention and vaccination. The analysis included 760 adults (14 percent) who reported having diabetes currently managed with medication.
The researchers found that the likelihood of reporting having missed medical care during the previous three months was increased for younger adults (ages 18 to 29 years) compared with those ages 30 to 59 years or 60 years or older (87 versus 63 and 26 percent, respectively). Difficulty accessing diabetes medications was reported by 44 percent of younger adults. Compared with adults aged 60 years or older, younger adults with diabetes reported a lower intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination (66 versus 85 percent).
“Adherence to diabetes care, including receiving COVID-19 vaccination, is important for managing risk for severe COVID-19 among persons with diabetes, including younger adults,” the authors write. “Future studies that assess factors affecting access to and use of care during the pandemic, particularly among younger persons with diabetes, could help inform tailored prevention strategies.”
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
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