Date of Award

January 2022

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Nicola Hawley

Second Advisor

Tracy Rabin

Abstract

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic that started in March 2020 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus introduced an incredible number of unknowns that ongoing research aims to investigate. One such unknown is the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19. Existing literature has identified diabetes as a risk factor for poor health outcomes in COVID-19 patients, however, other information is limited and inconclusive.

Objective: There are two primary goals of this scoping review. First, to consolidate existing literature about both associations between COVID-19 and diabetes, and the biological mechanisms of how diabetes and COVID-19 may interact. This includes consolidating information about diabetes as a risk factor for contracting COVID-19, diabetes as a risk factor for poor health outcomes in those infected with COVID-19, diabetic management during social distancing, long-term symptoms in diabetic patients previously infected with COVID-19, and the potential for new-onset diabetes as a long-term impact of COVID-19 infection. The second goal of the review is to identify current gaps in knowledge and research.

Methods: Literature was selected from PubMed using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the selection process, the remaining literature was summarized and information from all of the literature reviewed was categorized based on the theme.

Results: The initial searches yielded 428 results, and after filtering based on the criteria, there were 95 results remaining. After reviewing the abstracts for the 95 results, 13 articles were ultimately selected to be included in the scoping review based on relevancy to diabetes and COVID-19.

Conclusion: There is insufficient research to draw any definitive conclusions about whether diabetes is a risk factor for contracting COVID-19. Diabetes is a risk factor for poor health outcomes including hospitalization and mortality for those infected with COVID-19. Poorer diabetes management during social distancing may have reduced glycemic control among diabetic patients. There is a potential risk of developing new-onset Type 1 diabetes after COVID-19 infection. Existing literature has primarily focused on diabetes as a risk factor for poor health outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and the biological mechanisms of how diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 interact. Further research should be conducted to learn more about diabetes as a risk factor for contracting COVID-19, diabetes self-management during social distancing, and long-term symptoms of patients with diabetes.

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This is an Open Access Thesis.

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