Reducing Disparities in Pediatric Diabetes: Building the Evidence Base to Inform Effective Diabetes Technology Interventions in Underrepresented Minorities

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT As diabetes technologies have become more innovative and effective in the management of pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D), research and usage has preferentially increased only in those of higher socioeconomic status (SES). Studies have consistently demonstrated 50% lower rates of diabetes technology use in youth of lower SES. Although diabetes technology has the potential to reduce disparities in pediatric T1D outcomes, inequitable access has resulted in worsening of T1D outcomes for low SES youth. This proposal aims to build an evidence base for data-driven interventions designed to reduce disparities in diabetes innovations by addressing barriers and supporting promoters of diabetes technology use. Ananta Addala, D.O., M.P.H, is a physician scientist committed to a career as an independent investigator addressing disparities in T1D management and outcomes. Dr. Addala’s longstanding research and clinical interests are to promote equitable care for youth with T1D. As a physician with a background in pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, and behavioral health, Dr. Addala is uniquely qualified to address the drivers of inequities in diverse youth with T1D. Dr. Addala has enlisted a multi-disciplinary mentorship team comprised of experts in the fields of pediatric T1D, health disparities, statistics, and mixed method study design to successfully execute this proposal and launch an independent research career in pediatric T1D disparities. The overall objective of this proposal is to discover drivers of disparities in diabetes technology use in youth with T1D and public insurance and develop a brief intervention, as a means to understand and address pediatric T1D disparities. This will be accomplished through two aims. In aim 1, focusing on the family, Dr. Addala will construct an evidence base of barriers and promoters to diabetes technology use in youth with public insurance in order to formulate and test a brief pilot intervention aimed at increasing uptake. In aim 2, this time focusing on the providers, Dr. Addala will construct the evidence base on barriers and promoters to recommending diabetes technology to youth with public insurance in order to formulate and test a brief pilot intervention to increase provider recommendation of diabetes technology. Taken together, findings from Aims 1 and 2 will result in the development of an intervention aimed at increasing diabetes technology uptake and access in youth from low socioeconomic and racial/ethnic minority groups, thereby improving T1D outcomes. Dr. Addala will use the K23 mentored award to execute an in-depth training plan which includes formal coursework and structured mentorship by her mentors to advance her understanding of mixed methods research, intervention development, and expertise on disparities. This proposal is foundational to a future independent clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions developed on promoters and barriers of diabetes technology use in youth with T1D and public insurance.