P-356: User experience with continuous glucose monitoring in a predominantly young type 1 diabetes population: thematic analysis of participant narratives from a public health setting
G L Torres, L P S Lima, S d S F Lemos, J P A Freitas, N C Monteiro, M d L P Machado, L M Martins, M G Varela, T Trevisan, N O d SantanaAbstract
Introduction
Beyond glycemic metrics, understanding the subjective experience of CGM in young individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is essential, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable populations where qualitative evidence remains insufficient.
Objectives
To investigate user experience of CGM in a predominantly young T1D population through thematic analysis of individual’s narratives after six months of follow-up.
Methods
A 6-month longitudinal study enrolled 53 individuals with T1D from a public endocrinology clinic in Northeastern Brazil. At end of follow-up, 43 participants submitted audio messages describing their CGM experience. Recordings were transcribed and analyzed using thematic categorization by recurrence. An AI language model assisted in the categorization, with all data handled anonymously.
Results
The cohort was predominantly female (69.8%), self-declared Black or mixed-race (81.4%), with income equal to or below 2 minimum wages (79.1%), 65.1% residing in rural areas. Mean diabetes duration was 12±9.36 years. Of the 43 participants who submitted narratives, 23 (53.5%) were under 25 years of age. Among children and adolescents, 10 spoke actively, while caregivers participated jointly or solely in 5 cases. Three thematic domains emerged. Domain I (Biopsychosocial impact) addressed elimination of fingerstick pain, prevention of glycemic events, and improved sleep. Domain II (Health education and empowerment) reflected enhanced health literacy, with participants identifying postprandial patterns and adjusting diet and insulin. Domain III (Socioeconomic vulnerability) captured distress over device discontinuation due to financial constraints.
Conclusions
In a predominantly young, socioeconomically vulnerable population, CGM was associated with self-reported biopsychosocial benefits and empowerment in diabetes self-management, offering clinicians a richer framework for evaluating CGM integration into public health care.