692-P: Characteristics of Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Attending a Virtual Young Adult Diabetes Clinic (YADC) as a Component of Transition from Pediatric to Adult Diabetes Care

Abstract

Objectives: Young adults (18-25) living with T1D are at high risk of acute and chronic complications and poor glycemic control in part because of difficulties seen in transitioning from pediatric to adult care. In 2017 an in-person YADC was created to help engage and support new patients transitioning from pediatric to adult care. In 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the YADC was adapted to a virtual model. This study characterizes the participants of the virtual YADC. Methods: The YADC is a comprehensive virtual clinic that includes a group welcome, orientation to adult diabetes care, peer-to-peer interaction, group discussion about pediatric-to-adult transition of care (facilitated by a behavioral health clinician), a diabetes education visit and a medical provider visit. Young adult attendees were self-select; those who were referred to an adult endocrinologist were given the option to join the YADC. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize the characteristics of patients attending the virtual YADC. Results: Of 89 patients scheduled, 61 patients attended the virtual YADC between January 2021 and December 2022. Attendees ranged in age from 18 to 25, with a mean age of 21. Forty-one attendees (67%) had private insurance and 20 had state insurance. The mean HbA1c of virtual YADC participants was 8.61%. In comparison, the mean HbA1c of those who did not attend was 9.84%. Among young adult patients who did not attend, 19 (67%) attendees had state insurance, whereas 9 attendees had private insurance. Conclusions: Characterization of virtual YADC attendees reveals a higher proportion with private insurance vs state insurance. This finding implies potential differences in access to care. Future studies will focus on understanding the differences between those who do and do not attend virtual YADC and how to increase patient engagement. Disclosure F.Joarder: None. T.H.Pandharpurkar: None. R.D.Tweet: None. T.Heyerman: None. K.O'neil: None. J.J.Park: None. I.Guttmann-bauman: None.