Diabetology Care During COVID-19 Lockdown in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Diabetologists and Patients Perspective

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 pandemic suddenly affected all countries and health care systems from different perspectives including severe disruption of chronic disease services including diabetes. Diabetes is a serious condition and highly present in Bosnia and Herzegovina population, so provision of diabetes care is a important part of good control. Countries had different responses to adopt diabetes care under new circumstances as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. AIM: To investigate and evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of diabetology care in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the perspective of patients and diabetologists. METHODS: Online survey for diabetologists and patient organizations have been developed with adopted question for different perspectives. The survey has been conducted online early September 2020. Collected data were analyzed in SPSS software for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: 25 diabetologists and 24 diabetes patient organizations responded. 72% of diabetologists believe that pandemic has partially altered work with patients and 56% believe that the organization of diabetes care has successfully responded to the new circumstances but 80% believe that the diabetes care system should change. 75% of patient organizations thought that the organization of diabetes care did not adequately respond and 87.5% believe system should change. CONCLUSION: No significant differences found between RS and FBiH when it comes to majority of questions. Both diabetologists and patients consider that system of diabetes care in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be improved in future. It has been also found that diabetologists in Bosnia and Herzegovina responded and adopted their practices similar to other countries.