Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Rates of Continuous Glucose Monitor Initiation and Continued Use in Children With Type 1 Diabetes

• DOI: 10.2337/dc20-1663
• Publication Date: 2020-11-12T03:10:11Z
• Authors: Charlene W. Lai; Terri H. Lipman; Steven M. Willi; Colin P. Hawkes
• Keywords: Black or African American; Blood Glucose; 03 medical and health sciences; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Hispanic or Latino; Child; White People; Retrospective Studies; 3. Good health

OBJECTIVERacial/ethnic disparities in continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use exist among children with type 1 diabetes. It is not known whether differential rates of device initiation or sustained use are the cause of this disparity. Our objective was to compare CGM initiation rates and continued use among non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic children.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe conducted a retrospective review including children with type 1 diabetes attending the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018.RESULTSOf 1,509 eligible children, 726 (48%) started CGM during the study period. More NHW (54%) than NHB (31%) and Hispanic (33%) children started CGM (P < 0.001). One year after starting, fewer NHB (61%) than NHW (86%) and Hispanic (85%) children were using CGM (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSLower CGM use in NHB children was due to lower rates of device initiation and higher rates of discontinuation. Interventions to address both of these barriers are needed to reduce disparities in CGM use.