Diabetes Mellitus and COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: Epidemiology, Clinical Risk, and Health System Impac

Diabetes mellitus; COVID-19; telemedicine; public health; health-system resilience

Khalid S. Al-Zahrani
Department of Biology, Faculty of
Science, Al-Baha University,
Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
Email: [email protected]

European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry (2026) 34 (4s), 20–30

Diabetes Mellitus and COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: Epidemiology, Clinical Risk, and Health System Impact

Diabetes mellitus and COVID-19 have converged as important public health challenges. Diabetes has been consistently associated with severe infection, hospitalisation, intensive care admission, and mortality. This relationship is particularly important in Saudi where diabetes, obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome are highly prevalent. This narrative review made evidence from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, cohort studies, clinical studies from Saudi Arabia, and public health worldwide literature on the epidemiology of diabetes, COVID-19 outcomes, glycaemic control, complications, vaccination, telemedicine, and health-system response. Evidence from around the world points to an association between diabetes and an increased risk for severe COVID-19, particularly in the context of poor glycaemic control, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease. Diabetes also is reported as one of the most common comorbidities among hospitalised COVID19 patients in Saudi studies with worse outcomes reported in patients with uncontrolled diabetes and multimorbidity. The pandemic has also impacted diabetes care through reduced physical activity, changes in diet, psychological stress and lack of access to routine follow-up. In response, Saudi Arabia expanded telemedicine, digital health platforms, national guidance, and vaccination priority for high-risk groups. These findings suggest that diabetes was a prevalent comorbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, and a major factor determining vulnerability. To be ready for the future, diabetes care must be integrated into emergency planning, through stronger primary care, remote monitoring, interoperable health data, and population-level risk surveillance.

Received-17-05-2026 Revised-22-06-2026 Accepted-28-06-2026

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