159-LB: Early Introduction of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Is Well Accepted by Youth and Parents

Abstract

Early introduction of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may be one strategy to improve glucose control in youth with type 1 diabetes. We aimed to evaluate perceptions of CGM initiated <1 month after diagnosis using validated surveys and focus groups. We conducted surveys of parents and youth before the start of CGM and conducted parent focus groups after at least three months of CGM use to evaluate perceptions of early CGM initiation. Parents completed a 21-item Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) parent. Youth aged ≥11 years completed the DDS-2, diabetes technology attitudes (DTA), PROMIS Global Health (PGH), and CGM benefits (BenCGM) and burdens (BurCGM) surveys. Before starting CGM, parents (n=7, 2 male, age 45.63.4 years, 4 non-Hispanic white) and youth (n=16; 8 male; age 15.3±2.0 years, diabetes duration 11.5±6.9 days, 6 non-Hispanic white) reported low levels of diabetes distress (DDS parent 0.7±0.5, DDS-2 1.7±0.8). Youth reported good global health (PGH 25.6±3.4), few barriers to CGM use (BurCGM 1.9±0.7), positive attitudes towards CGM (BenCGM 3.8±1.3) and diabetes technology (DTA 18.5±2.2). In focus groups, 9 parents (1 male, child’s age 11.7±4.4 years, child’s diabetes duration 11.3±5.1 months) reported overwhelmingly positive attitudes toward CGM technology generally and with starting their child on CGM soon after diagnosis. Parents differed in their preferences on the optimal number of days after diagnosis to start CGM, with some advocating starting immediately and others preferring a week to adjust to the diagnosis and learn basic diabetes management. Parents wanted additional support for the first sensor change at home as well as the timing and method of follow up education. Finally, the majority endorsed decreased stress and worry as a result of using CGM, particularly overnight. These data provide initial evidence that parents and youth newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes demonstrate a readiness to start CGM shortly after diagnosis and perceive a sustained benefit from the use of CGM. Disclosure A. Addala: None. S. Hanes: None. D. Zaharieva: Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Ascensia Diabetes Care, Insulet Corporation, Medtronic. C. New: None. P. Prahalad: None. D.M. Maahs: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Insulet Corporation, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk A/S. Consultant; Self; Abbott, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Bigfoot Biomedical, Dexcom, Inc., Roche Diabetes Care, Tandem Diabetes Care. K.K. Hood: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; LifeScan, Inc., MedIQ. M.L. Tanenbaum: None.