SAT096 Disparities Associated With Technology Use And Diabetes Control In A Minority Cohort Of Children And Adolescents
Authors: Granados Andrea , Baboun Daniela , Alvarez-Salvat Rose , Martinez Sanchez Andrea , Carrillo Adriana 
Published: October 2023

Disclosure: A. Granados: None. D. Baboun: None. R. Alvarez-Salvat: None. A. Martinez Sanchez: None. A. Carrillo: None.

Background: Children and adolescents of racial and ethnic minorities exhibit suboptimal glycemic control and have the lowest rates of diabetes technology use. The utilization of technology has been found to improve overall diabetes control in children and adolescents. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether technology use impacts diabetes control in a minority cohort of children and adolescents with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among a minority cohort of children and adolescents with diabetes seen at a multidisciplinary clinic. Data were collected from January to November of 2022. Patients who used their continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and/or insulin pumps were categorized as technology users, whereas patients who did not were categorized as non-technology users. Demographic data, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels, BMI z-scores, LDL levels, and psychological functioning scores (PHQ-9 and DEPS-R) were collected for all participants during clinic visits. Chi-squared and t-tests were performed to compare all collected data according to device use. Results: We analyzed data from 170 children and adolescents with diabetes. Of the 170 patients, 125 (73.53%) were Hispanic, 7 (4.12%) were Non-Hispanic White, and 39 (22.94%) were Black; 85 (50.00%) were female; and the age range was 4-20 years (mean 13.62 ± 3.33). Of the 165 patients who had health insurance, 124 (75.15%) were publicly insured, and 41 (24.85%) were privately insured. Large racial-ethnic disparities in technology use existed, as 95 (76.00%) Hispanics, 5 (71.43%) Non-Hispanic Whites, and 20 (51.28%) Blacks were categorized as technology users (p = 0.007). There was no difference between the HbA1C levels of technology users (9.1%) and non-technology users (9.4%) (p = 0.6). The BMI z-score was lower in technology users (0.33) than in non-technology users (1.39) (p = 0.05). Likewise, LDL levels were lower in technology users (93.80 mg/dl) than in non-technology users (108.53 mg/dl) (p = 0.05). There was no significant difference in PHQ-9 and DEPS-R between the groups. Conclusions: The results provide novel insights into the impact of technology in diabetes control in a minority cohort of children and adolescents. Despite the high overall rate of technology use, there was no significant difference in glycemic control between technology users and non-technology users. This finding suggests that the utilization of diabetes technology may not be correlated with better glycemic control in minority groups. However, BMI z-scores and LDL levels were lower in technology users. Further research is needed to determine the root causes of disparities in diabetes control in children and adolescents of racial and ethnic minorities.

Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023