Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and control measures on type 2 diabetes care among South Asians: the perspective of healthcare providers in British Columbia, Canada

Background

British Columbia is one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in Canada, with South Asians emerging as one of the fastest-growing ethnic minority groups, burdened by a high incidence of type 2 diabetes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare services shifted to virtual care to minimize infection transmission. Given the limited understanding of how primary care physicians in BC adapted their diabetes care approaches and the consequent impact on patient experience, this qualitative study aims to explore the effects of pandemic-related control measures on primary care diabetes services in BC from the perspectives of general practitioners, focusing particularly on their South Asian patients.

Methods