Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study

Audrey Sing Yi Eer; Rebecca Chia Yee Ho; Tracey Hearn; Mariam Hachem; Megan Freund; Luke James Burchill; Sharon Atkinson-Briggs; Satpal Singh; Sandra Eades; Richard Charles O’Brien; John Stuart Furler; David Norman O’Neal; David Andrew Story; Jeffrey David Zajac; Sabine Braat; Alex Brown; Phillip Clarke; Ashim Kumar Sinha; Anna Gerardina McLean; Stephen Morris Twigg; Elif Ilhan Ekinci

doi:10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6

Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study

Audrey Sing Yi Eer, Rebecca Chia Yee Ho, Tracey Hearn, Mariam Hachem, Megan Freund, Luke James Burchill, Sharon Atkinson-Briggs, Satpal Singh, Sandra Eades, Richard Charles O’Brien, John Stuart Furler, David Norman O’Neal, David Andrew Story, Jeffrey David Zajac, Sabine Braat, Alex Brown, Phillip Clarke, Ashim Kumar Sinha, Anna Gerardina McLean, Stephen Morris TwiggElif Ilhan Ekinci^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly prevalent within the Indigenous Australian community. Novel glucose monitoring technology offers an accurate approach to glycaemic management, providing real-time information on glucose levels and trends. The acceptability and feasibilility of this technology in Indigenous Australians with T2DM has not been investigated.

Objective: This feasibility phenomenological study aims to understand the experiences of Indigenous Australians with T2DM using flash glucose monitoring (FGM).

Methods: Indigenous Australians with T2DM receiving injectable therapy (n = 8) who used FGM (Abbott Freestyle Libre) for 6-months, as part of a clinical trial, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews was performed using NVivo12 Plus qualitative data analysis software (QSR International).

Results: Six major themes emerged: 1) FGM was highly acceptable to the individual; 2) FGM’s convenience was its biggest benefit; 3) data from FGM was a tool to modify lifestyle choices; 4) FGM needed to be complemented with health professional support; 5) FGM can be a tool to engage communities in diabetes management; and 6) cost of the device is a barrier to future use.

Conclusions: Indigenous Australians with T2DM had positive experiences with FGM. This study highlights future steps to ensure likelihood of FGM is acceptable and effective within the wider Indigenous Australian community.

Original language	English
Article number	1377
Number of pages	11
Journal	BMC Health Services Research
Volume	23
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

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Eer, A. S. Y., Ho, R. C. Y., Hearn, T., Hachem, M., Freund, M., Burchill, L. J., Atkinson-Briggs, S., Singh, S., Eades, S., O’Brien, R. C., Furler, J. S., O’Neal, D. N., Story, D. A., Zajac, J. D., Braat, S., Brown, A., Clarke, P., Sinha, A. K., McLean, A. G., ... Ekinci, E. I. (2023). Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), Article 1377. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6

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title = "Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study",

abstract = "Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly prevalent within the Indigenous Australian community. Novel glucose monitoring technology offers an accurate approach to glycaemic management, providing real-time information on glucose levels and trends. The acceptability and feasibilility of this technology in Indigenous Australians with T2DM has not been investigated. Objective: This feasibility phenomenological study aims to understand the experiences of Indigenous Australians with T2DM using flash glucose monitoring (FGM). Methods: Indigenous Australians with T2DM receiving injectable therapy (n = 8) who used FGM (Abbott Freestyle Libre) for 6-months, as part of a clinical trial, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews was performed using NVivo12 Plus qualitative data analysis software (QSR International). Results: Six major themes emerged: 1) FGM was highly acceptable to the individual; 2) FGM{\textquoteright}s convenience was its biggest benefit; 3) data from FGM was a tool to modify lifestyle choices; 4) FGM needed to be complemented with health professional support; 5) FGM can be a tool to engage communities in diabetes management; and 6) cost of the device is a barrier to future use. Conclusions: Indigenous Australians with T2DM had positive experiences with FGM. This study highlights future steps to ensure likelihood of FGM is acceptable and effective within the wider Indigenous Australian community.",

keywords = "Aboriginal people, Flash glucose monitoring, Indigenous Australian, Phenomenological study, Qualitative research, Type 2 diabetes mellitus",

author = "Eer, {Audrey Sing Yi} and Ho, {Rebecca Chia Yee} and Tracey Hearn and Mariam Hachem and Megan Freund and Burchill, {Luke James} and Sharon Atkinson-Briggs and Satpal Singh and Sandra Eades and O{\textquoteright}Brien, {Richard Charles} and Furler, {John Stuart} and O{\textquoteright}Neal, {David Norman} and Story, {David Andrew} and Zajac, {Jeffrey David} and Sabine Braat and Alex Brown and Phillip Clarke and Sinha, {Ashim Kumar} and McLean, {Anna Gerardina} and Twigg, {Stephen Morris} and Ekinci, {Elif Ilhan}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s).",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

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publisher = "BioMed Central (BMC)",

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Eer, ASY, Ho, RCY, Hearn, T, Hachem, M, Freund, M, Burchill, LJ, Atkinson-Briggs, S, Singh, S, Eades, S, O’Brien, RC, Furler, JS, O’Neal, DN, Story, DA, Zajac, JD, Braat, S, Brown, A, Clarke, P, Sinha, AK, McLean, AG, Twigg, SM & Ekinci, EI 2023, 'Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study', BMC Health Services Research, vol. 23, no. 1, 1377. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6

Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study. / Eer, Audrey Sing Yi; Ho, Rebecca Chia Yee; Hearn, Tracey et al.
In: BMC Health Services Research, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1377, 12.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus

T2 - initial experiences from a pilot study

AU - Eer, Audrey Sing Yi

AU - Ho, Rebecca Chia Yee

AU - Hearn, Tracey

AU - Hachem, Mariam

AU - Freund, Megan

AU - Burchill, Luke James

AU - Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon

AU - Singh, Satpal

AU - Eades, Sandra

AU - O’Brien, Richard Charles

AU - Furler, John Stuart

AU - O’Neal, David Norman

AU - Story, David Andrew

AU - Zajac, Jeffrey David

AU - Braat, Sabine

AU - Brown, Alex

AU - Clarke, Phillip

AU - Sinha, Ashim Kumar

AU - McLean, Anna Gerardina

AU - Twigg, Stephen Morris

AU - Ekinci, Elif Ilhan

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly prevalent within the Indigenous Australian community. Novel glucose monitoring technology offers an accurate approach to glycaemic management, providing real-time information on glucose levels and trends. The acceptability and feasibilility of this technology in Indigenous Australians with T2DM has not been investigated. Objective: This feasibility phenomenological study aims to understand the experiences of Indigenous Australians with T2DM using flash glucose monitoring (FGM). Methods: Indigenous Australians with T2DM receiving injectable therapy (n = 8) who used FGM (Abbott Freestyle Libre) for 6-months, as part of a clinical trial, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews was performed using NVivo12 Plus qualitative data analysis software (QSR International). Results: Six major themes emerged: 1) FGM was highly acceptable to the individual; 2) FGM’s convenience was its biggest benefit; 3) data from FGM was a tool to modify lifestyle choices; 4) FGM needed to be complemented with health professional support; 5) FGM can be a tool to engage communities in diabetes management; and 6) cost of the device is a barrier to future use. Conclusions: Indigenous Australians with T2DM had positive experiences with FGM. This study highlights future steps to ensure likelihood of FGM is acceptable and effective within the wider Indigenous Australian community.

AB - Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly prevalent within the Indigenous Australian community. Novel glucose monitoring technology offers an accurate approach to glycaemic management, providing real-time information on glucose levels and trends. The acceptability and feasibilility of this technology in Indigenous Australians with T2DM has not been investigated. Objective: This feasibility phenomenological study aims to understand the experiences of Indigenous Australians with T2DM using flash glucose monitoring (FGM). Methods: Indigenous Australians with T2DM receiving injectable therapy (n = 8) who used FGM (Abbott Freestyle Libre) for 6-months, as part of a clinical trial, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews was performed using NVivo12 Plus qualitative data analysis software (QSR International). Results: Six major themes emerged: 1) FGM was highly acceptable to the individual; 2) FGM’s convenience was its biggest benefit; 3) data from FGM was a tool to modify lifestyle choices; 4) FGM needed to be complemented with health professional support; 5) FGM can be a tool to engage communities in diabetes management; and 6) cost of the device is a barrier to future use. Conclusions: Indigenous Australians with T2DM had positive experiences with FGM. This study highlights future steps to ensure likelihood of FGM is acceptable and effective within the wider Indigenous Australian community.

KW - Aboriginal people

KW - Flash glucose monitoring

KW - Indigenous Australian

KW - Phenomenological study

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Type 2 diabetes mellitus

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178928166&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6

DO - 10.1186/s12913-023-10121-6

M3 - Article

VL - 23

JO - BMC Health Services Research

JF - BMC Health Services Research

IS - 1

M1 - 1377

ER -

Feasibility and acceptability of the use of flash glucose monitoring encountered by Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: initial experiences from a pilot study

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