Consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the care of people with Diabetes Mellitus in a municipality in Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a chronic condition with high morbidity and mortality, requires longitudinal care from Primary Health Care (PHC) to ensure patient well-being and prevent complications. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted health systems and interrupted routine health care processes. Objective: to describe the frequency of follow-up of patients with DM in PHC in a municipality in Minas Gerais in the pre-, intra- and post-pandemic periods. Methodology: this is a retrospective cohort observational study (2019-2022), analyzing 190 medical records. Data were described using absolute and relative frequencies. Results: in the pre-pandemic period, 12.1% of patients did not attend consultations. During the pandemic, this number rose to 16.3% in 2020 and 18.9% in 2021. In the post-pandemic period, the rate increased to 24.2%. Additionally, the number of patients seen only for prescription renewals was higher in 2020 compared to non-pandemic periods. Discussion: there was a reduction in follow-up during the pandemic, with a progressive increase in patients without regular consultations, highlighting the vulnerability of the health care network during the pandemic period. Conclusion: longitudinal follow-up is essential to prevent complications from chronic hyperglycemia. However, the study shows that clinical follow-up of people with DM in the PHC of the studied municipality falls short of national guidelines, with decreasing follow-up rates during the intra- and post-pandemic scenarios.