One in every four Americans with diabetes is rationing their medication and supplies, according to survey results released July 29 by the American Diabetes Association.
The survey, which gathered 5,000 diabetic respondents between June 26 and July 1, revealed that patients are rationing their treatments by skipping insulin doses and testing their blood glucose levels less frequently. It also found that half of employed Americans with diabetes are going to work, with 90 percent of them coming within 6 feet of co-workers.
Treatment rationing contradicts the CDC's recommendations for diabetes patients, as maintaining appropriate blood glucose levels is critical to avoiding severe COVID-19 complications.
"These new numbers show the urgency needed to adopt measures to protect and assist the millions of people with diabetes who are suffering through this pandemic," Tracey Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association, said in a news release. "We need states to extend healthcare coverage to those who've lost their jobs. We need to eradicate the co-pay for insulin that millions are struggling to pay for in order to stay healthy during this pandemic. And we need to take COVID-19 testing into these high-risk communities in order to inform and stop the spread of this virus."