Examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review of pre and during pandemic insights.

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed significant challenges to mental health, especially among individuals with preexisting conditions such as type 2 diabetes. The interplay between chronic physical conditions and mental health is well-documented, yet the pandemic's specific impact on the mental health of patients with type 2 diabetes remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of the most common mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia, among type 2 diabetes patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand any potential changes in mental health outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review of 42 observational studies published between 2010 and 2022 was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies were identified through 5 electronic databases and included based on predefined eligibility criteria. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed the study quality. Due to limited directly comparable data, a narrative synthesis was performed.

RESULTS

The review included 42 studies, with 25 (60%) scoring 6 or less out of 9 in quality assessment. The prevalence of depression among type 2 diabetes patients ranged from 5.3% to 73.6% in prepandemic studies, compared with 5.6% to 30.4% during the pandemic. Anxiety prevalence was reported between 8.4% and 65.5% before the pandemic and remained at 8.4% during the pandemic. Insomnia was prevalent in 9.6% to 48.2% of patients' prepandemic, with one study reporting a 31.4% prevalence during the pandemic. Two studies directly compared depression prevalence before and during the pandemic in the same population; one reported a significant increase from 19.3% to 30.4%, while the other found no difference.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that while the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly exacerbate anxiety or insomnia in patients with type 2 diabetes, there may have been an increase in depression. The findings underscore the complexity of mental health outcomes during the pandemic and highlight the need for further research to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of individuals with type 2 diabetes. These results suggest the importance of ongoing mental health support for this vulnerable population.