Characteristics Associated With Diabetes Device Use Among Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a common illness of childhood, requiring lifelong, daily complex management to prevent acute and chronic complications. Studies have shown that use of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) offers benefit for glycemic control. However, such device use is not universal in adolescents. We aimed to compare baseline socio-demographic and diabetes characteristics associated with diabetes technology (pump and CGM) uptake and continued use in 13-17 year old teens with T1D. Data were derived from a multicenter clinical trial aimed at optimizing self-care and glycemic control in teens with T1D. Socio-demographic and diabetes data were collected quarterly by parent-youth interview and electronic medical record review prospectively over 18 months. Chi-square and t-tests compared characteristics of device and non-device users (pump vs no pump; CGM vs no CGM). The study sample comprised 301 teens (41% male) with mean±SD age 15.0±1.3 years, T1D duration 6.5±3.7 years, and A1c 8.5±1.1%. Most (65%) used a pump at entry or initiated pump therapy during the study; 35% used injection therapy at entry or stopped pump therapy. In contrast, 27% used a CGM at entry or started a CGM during the study, while 73% never used or stopped using CGM. Device users at entry and those who began use had similar characteristics, as did those who never used and those who discontinued device use. Pump users were more likely to use CGM than non-pump users (36% vs 10%, p<.0001). Neither age, sex, nor T1D duration was related to pump or CGM use. Pump users (vs non-pump users) were less likely to have another medical condition (44% vs 59%, p=.01) and more likely to be non-Hispanic white (83% vs 61%, p=.0001); have family annual household income ≥$150,000 (34% vs 19%, p=.0003), private health insurance (92% vs 74%, p<.0001), a parent with college education or higher (67% vs 46%, p=.0005), and a 2-parent household (88% vs 78%, p=.03). Pump users also had lower z-BMI (0.73±0.80 vs 0.97±0.79, p=.01), performed more frequent daily BG monitoring (4.8±1.8 vs 3.9±2.0, p<.0001), and were less likely to have HbA1c ≥9% at initial and last visits (25% vs 43%, p=.005; 31% vs 49%, p=.01). CGM users (vs non-CGM users) were more likely to be non-Hispanic white (88% vs 70%, p=.009); have family annual household income ≥$150,000 (44% vs 23%, p=.0001), a parent with college education or higher (78% vs 53%, p=.0004), and private health insurance (95% vs 82%, p=.005). CGM users also performed more frequent daily BG monitoring (5.2±1.9 vs 4.2±1.9, p=.0002) and were less likely to have HbA1c ≥9% after 18 months (27% vs 42%, p=.03). In summary, we found distinct socio-demographic and diabetes-specific factors associated with device use in adolescents with T1D. These findings provide an opportunity to address barriers associated with device non-use in order to expand device implementation, especially in underserved adolescents with T1D.