Prescription distribution and inequities in diabetes care: A comparative analysis of continuous glucose monitoring access by diabetes status, ethnicity and socio‐economic factors in England
Authors' conclusion
This study reveals significant ethnic disparities in CGM access, with Afro-Caribbean and South Asian groups facing a reduced prescribing ratio per 1000 people. Consistent NICE guideline adoption and targeted outreach are needed to improve equity in CGM access.
Study context
- Population
- Primary care networks (PCNs) and integrated care boards (ICBs) in England; data from OpenPrescribing, the National Diabetes Audit and Public Health England
- Exposure
- ICBs with below-average vs above-average continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) prescribing
- Outcome
- CGM prescribing ratio per 1000 people, by ethnicity and deprivation
Methodological detailsanalysis of publicly available data, PCN- and ICB-level, Descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) calculations
- Analysis of publicly available data
- PCN- and ICB-level
- Descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) calculations
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CGM items prescription ratio per 1000 people
Mean items prescription ratio per 1000 people (range 0.26 to 11.59)
4.87
CGM prescribing variance attributed to ethnicity and deprivation, T1D
46.6%
CGM prescribing variance attributed to ethnicity and deprivation, T2D
77.3%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Lower-prescribing ICBs | Higher-prescribing ICBs |
|---|---|---|
| Afro-Caribbean representation, T1D | 6.7 (SD 7.0) | 2.1 (SD 2.8) |
| Afro-Caribbean representation, T2D | 8.4 (SD 10.4) | 1.8 (SD 3.4) |
| South Asian representation, T1D | 10.6 (SD 13.7) | 3.2 (SD 4.9) |
| South Asian representation, T2D | 21.9 (SD 20.5) | 6.5 (SD 9.7) |
Demographics of T1D vs T2D
- Aged over 65, T1D
- 15.5%
- Aged over 65, T2D
- 52.0%
- White individuals among T1D cases
- 83.6%
- South Asians in T2D
- 14.5%
- Afro-Caribbeans in T2D
- 5.3%
Original publication
Prescription distribution and inequities in diabetes care: A comparative analysis of continuous glucose monitoring access by diabetes status, ethnicity and socio‐economic factors in England. Diabet Med. Published 3 September 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →