162-OR: Diabetes Stigma and Use of Diabetes Technologies among U.S. Adults Living with Type 1 Diabetes

Nearly 80% of adults living with diabetes report experiences of diabetes stigma. We aimed to examine associations between diabetes stigma and the use of diabetes technologies among adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). In August 2022, 594 adults with T1D (mean age: 55±15 years; duration T1D: 29±17 years; 71% women) from the dQ&A US Patient Panel completed an online survey. Questions included the Type 1 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-1) and diabetes and demographic characteristics. DSAS-1 Total and subscale (Treated Differently, Blame and Judgment, Identity Concerns) scores were compared by device use (independent samples t-test). Individuals who did not use diabetes technologies reported greater stigma (Total; Treated Differently; Identity Concerns) but did not differ from those using technologies on Blame and Judgment (Table). The relationship between diabetes stigma and technology use is a novel finding, warranting further investigation with larger, more heterogeneous samples to determine whether diabetes stigma may be a barrier to device use or whether it is mitigated by device use.