Global Inequities in Diabetes Technology and Insulin Access and Glycemic Outcomes
Authors' conclusion
This cross-sectional study found that HbA1c levels were associated with the accessibility of modern diabetes technologies and insulin. Efforts to ensure universal accessibility are required to reduce global inequities and glycemic outcomes for children with T1D.
Study context
- Population
- Children with T1D at 81 of 121 SWEET pediatric diabetes centers in 56 countries; mean age 14.3 years, 52% male
- Participants
- 42,349 children81 centers56 countries
- Exposure
- Full reimbursement vs no reimbursement and/or no availability of diabetes technologies and insulin
- Outcome
- Mean HbA1c levels across centers by categories of accessibility of and reimbursement for diabetes technologies and insulin
- Follow-up
- Measurements current as of December 31, 2023
Methodological detailsglobal, multicenter, web-based questionnaires, Questionnaires distributed March 1 to May 31, 2024; response from 81 of 121 SWEET centers (67%)
- Global
- Multicenter
- Web-based questionnaires
- Questionnaires distributed March 1 to May 31, 2024; response from 81 of 121 SWEET centers (67%)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean HbA1c
Mean HbA1c with full reimbursement (range across items)
7.62% (95% CI, 7.59%-7.64%) to 7.75% (95% CI, 7.73%-7.77%)
Mean HbA1c with no reimbursement and/or no availability (range across items)
9.65% (95% CI, 9.55%-9.71%) to 10.49% (95% CI, 10.40%-10.58%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Reimbursement coverage
- Centers reporting universal access with complete reimbursement for all technologies and insulin
- 32 centers from 19 countries
- Countries reporting no reimbursement for any technologies or insulin
- 8
Original publication
Global Inequities in Diabetes Technology and Insulin Access and Glycemic Outcomes. JAMA Netw Open. Published 1 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →