Barriers to utilizing diabetes devices

With the growing number of diabetes devices on the market, including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, patients are taking control of their diabetes. Just how interested patients are and what barriers these devices must overcome to reach patients is unknown. A recent study, published in Diabetes Care, identifies the barriers diabetes devices face and which patients use them.

Even with the amount of technology making managing diabetes more simple and effective, the use of these devices remain low. The study is led by first author, Molly L. Tanenbaum, who aims to identify barriers on device uptake as well as which patients use these devices and the differences in age and sex.

Results from the sample of 1,503 adults with Type 1 diabetes included:

·        47 percent of participants listed the hassle of wearing devices as the biggest barrier

·        35 percent of participants disliked having devices on the body

·        37 percent used continuous glucose monitor

·        Continuous glucose monitoring users were older, had diabetes longer, had a more positive view of technology and reported fewer barriers than non-users.

·        The youngest age group had the lowest uptake of continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps but also had the highest rates of diabetes distress and blood glucose levels.

“Efforts to increase device use need to target physical barriers to wearing devices,” concluded Tanenbaum and colleagues. “Because young adults had the lowest device uptake rates, highest distress, and highest HbA_1c compared with older age-groups, they should be the focus of future interventions to increase device use.”