Study Engagement in the ROUTE Randomized Controlled Trial: A Diabetes Educator–Led Behavioral Intervention to Promote Continuous Glucose Monitor Use Among Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine participant engagement in a behavioral intervention designed to optimize the use of continuous glucose monitoring among historically minoritized youth with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a secondary mixed-methods analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from 60 youth-caregiver dyads who participated in the Research on Optimizing the Use of Technology with Education (ROUTE-T1D) randomized controlled trial. Engagement was measured by intervention session attendance, parent coach engagement, and qualitative interviews with participants. RESULTS A diverse population of youth was recruited. Session attendance was high, at 75%. Only greater caregiver education was significantly associated with greater session attendance. There was no correlation between demographic and medical factors and contact with parent coaches. Qualitative results suggest participants felt ease of engagement with the intervention. CONCLUSIONS High engagement suggests the intervention was accessible to the diverse study population and demonstrates the feasibility of including diverse populations in diabetes technology research, thereby improving translation to clinical care.