Care Navigation Helps People With Type 1 Diabetes Use CGM Technology More Often

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices help people with Type 1 diabetes track blood sugar in real time, reducing dangerous highs and lows. Yet access to this lifesaving technology isn't equally distributed. People from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds experience diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)—a serious and sometimes life-threatening complication—more often than others. Despite the greater need, these same groups use CGM technology at lower rates than the general Type 1 diabetes population.

The reasons are complex: cost, insurance coverage, lack of awareness, difficulty navigating the healthcare system, and limited outreach all play a role. When people face barriers to technology, they're left more vulnerable to preventable complications.

Researchers at an academic medical center ran a study called EquiT1D (Using Technology to Address Disparities and Promote Healthcare Equity in Type 1 Diabetes) to see whether regular support from a care navigator could help. The study included adult patients with Type 1 diabetes who were at high risk for DKA—many of whom had been hospitalized for this complication before.

From November 2020 to April 2022, participants received ongoing contact and guidance from a care navigator. This person worked directly with patients to understand and solve the obstacles they faced in using CGM devices. The navigator helped with practical matters: insurance coverage, device setup, troubleshooting, and answering questions.

The outcome was striking. At the start of the study, participants used their CGM sensors on only about 17% of days. After 12 months of care navigation support, that jumped to 51% of days. While this means there's still room for improvement, the roughly threefold increase shows that human support can overcome real barriers.

The researchers found this shift statistically significant, meaning it was unlikely to have happened by chance. For patients at high risk of DKA, more frequent glucose monitoring can mean catching dangerous blood sugar trends earlier and preventing hospital visits.

This study suggests that care navigation is a practical, evidence-based way to help patients use CGM technology more consistently. The approach tackles the human side of healthcare equity—recognizing that access to technology is only part of the solution. Support, guidance, and problem-solving are equally important.

The researchers note that more work is needed to fully understand and remove barriers to CGM use. This study was single-arm (all participants received the same intervention) and took place at one academic medical center, so further research in different settings and populations would strengthen the findings. Still, the results point to a promising strategy for health systems looking to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Source: Journal of clinical & translational endocrinology. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.