NOVEMBER 2020
SPECIAL ISSUE 10

Care for the chronically ill in Germany – The challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic

In Special S10/2020, a scoping review compiles evidence concerning changes to health care service availability and utilisation as well as possible impacts on health for selected groups of chronically ill people at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The focus is on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and mental disorders. The article answers the following questions: How have availability and utilisation of health care services changed for these groups of chronically ill people in Germany following the introduction of non-pharmaceutical interventions to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2? And is there evidence that such measures have affected the health and well-being of chronically ill people?