Social isolation and quarantine can have a detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of people living with pre-existing conditions quarantine throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

‘Social isolation and quarantine can have a detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of people living with pre-existing conditions quarantine throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The study confirmed the negative effects of a pandemic on diabetes and hypocortisolism, thereby mandating the empowerment of psychological counseling for these vulnerable patients during COVID-19.’

Diabetes and COVID-19 Pandemic 




The study in the Adjara Region disseminated an online questionnaire and answers were collected from 16 endocrinologists and 22 family and general practice doctors. It reported a list of negative effects such as reduced access to medical care, weight gain, and increased cigarette and alcohol consumption. The study thereby states that the impact of quarantine on people living with diabetes caused blood pressure (BP) levels to increase in 88.2% of patients with 50% of these cases resulting in high BP hospitalization.
Increased feelings of anxiety and fear were observed in 82% of patients. And physical activity decreased by 29.8%, a vital preventative to further physical and psychological problems.
"This study highlights that people living with diabetes require greater support during pandemics to maintain exercise and protect their physical and mental health. National health services should use these data and future studies to implement better social care around supporting people with pre-existing conditions," says Dr. Liana Jashi, author of the first study, Georgia.
Hypocortisolism and COVID-19 Pandemic
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It was shown that patients with hypocortisolism experienced increased anxiety and depression, associated with a dissatisfied feeling of self and a reduced resiliency, when compared to healthy controls. Moreover, patients with adrenal insufficiency reported a worse quality of life than patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
However further studies are required over a longer period to validate the results.
Source-Medindia