TY - JOUR
AU - M. L. Tanenbaum
AU - I. Peterson
AU - C. Uratsu
AU - M. W. Chen
AU - L. Gilliam
AU - A. J. Karter
AU - A. Gopalan
AU - R. W. Grant
AU - E. Iturralde
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may improve self-management and reduce hypoglycemia risk among individuals with diabetes. However, little is known about how older adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience and incorporate this technology into their daily lives. OBJECTIVE: To explore experiences, preferences, barriers, and questions related to using CGM among older adults with insulin-treated T2D with and without experience using CGM. DESIGN: Qualitative focus group study. PARTICIPANTS: English-speaking older adults with T2D in a large, integrated healthcare delivery system. Groups included either experienced CGM users or adults who had not previously used CGM. Recruitment efforts prioritized individuals ≥ 75 years of age. APPROACH: Transcripts were analyzed using the Framework Method to identify perspectives on CGM. Specific thematic categories were hypoglycemia-related benefits, general benefits, usefulness and ease of use concerns, and CGM questions. KEY RESULTS: The study included 26 participants: 17 (65%) were experienced CGM users, 58% were female; median age was 74 (range 62-88) years. Participants perceived and anticipated these CGM benefits: informing behavior changes, reducing in-the-moment hypoglycemia risk, improving awareness and decision-making, and strengthening clinician collaboration. Perceived CGM barriers included challenges with wearability and reliability, burdens to others, distrust of technology, sensory and learning challenges, insufficient clinician support or engagement, and access and payer hurdles. Despite these downsides, experienced users perceived CGM as a worthwhile alternative to daily fingerstick glucose checks. Non-users were able to formulate many usability questions, providing a snapshot of informational needs for this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with insulin-treated T2D experienced or anticipated benefits from CGM for diabetes management. Findings indicate a need for tailored education and self-management support for older adults to learn and gain maximal benefit from this technology.
AD - Division of Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. mollyt@stanford.edu.; Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Pleasanton, CA, USA.; Department of Endocrinology, Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
AN - 40038224
BT - J Gen Intern Med
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 11
DA - Aug
DO - 10.1007/s11606-025-09458-x
DP - NLM
ET - 20250304
IS - 11
JF - J Gen Intern Med
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may improve self-management and reduce hypoglycemia risk among individuals with diabetes. However, little is known about how older adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience and incorporate this technology into their daily lives. OBJECTIVE: To explore experiences, preferences, barriers, and questions related to using CGM among older adults with insulin-treated T2D with and without experience using CGM. DESIGN: Qualitative focus group study. PARTICIPANTS: English-speaking older adults with T2D in a large, integrated healthcare delivery system. Groups included either experienced CGM users or adults who had not previously used CGM. Recruitment efforts prioritized individuals ≥ 75 years of age. APPROACH: Transcripts were analyzed using the Framework Method to identify perspectives on CGM. Specific thematic categories were hypoglycemia-related benefits, general benefits, usefulness and ease of use concerns, and CGM questions. KEY RESULTS: The study included 26 participants: 17 (65%) were experienced CGM users, 58% were female; median age was 74 (range 62-88) years. Participants perceived and anticipated these CGM benefits: informing behavior changes, reducing in-the-moment hypoglycemia risk, improving awareness and decision-making, and strengthening clinician collaboration. Perceived CGM barriers included challenges with wearability and reliability, burdens to others, distrust of technology, sensory and learning challenges, insufficient clinician support or engagement, and access and payer hurdles. Despite these downsides, experienced users perceived CGM as a worthwhile alternative to daily fingerstick glucose checks. Non-users were able to formulate many usability questions, providing a snapshot of informational needs for this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with insulin-treated T2D experienced or anticipated benefits from CGM for diabetes management. Findings indicate a need for tailored education and self-management support for older adults to learn and gain maximal benefit from this technology.
PY - 2025
SN - 0884-8734 (Print); 0884-8734
SP - 2624
EP - 2633+
ST - A Qualitative Study of Older Adult Perspectives on Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Type 2 Diabetes
T1 - A Qualitative Study of Older Adult Perspectives on Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Type 2 Diabetes
T2 - J Gen Intern Med
TI - A Qualitative Study of Older Adult Perspectives on Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Type 2 Diabetes
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1007/s11606-025-09458-x
VL - 40
VO - 0884-8734 (Print); 0884-8734
Y1 - 2025
ER -