Research Profile
What area of diabetes research does your project cover? What role will this particular project play in preventing, treating and/or curing diabetes?This project covers the area of health equity for Black and Hispanic youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), as they currently experience worse diabetes outcomes and lower rates of device use than their White counterparts. Our project aim is to improve diabetes outcomes for youth with T1D by using the support of a community health worker (CHW) to make it easier to start and stay on technology.?Part of this project will involve conducting interviews with young adults, health providers, and CHWs who were involved in a previous study using CHWs. These post-intervention interviews will help us adapt a CHW intervention for children with T1D and families.
If a person with diabetes were to ask you how your project will help them in the future, how would you respond?Our project aims to address the specific barriers, such as social needs, that many youth with T1D and their families face by using the help of a CHW. This project’s goal is to help more Black and Hispanic youth with T1D focus on their diabetes care, especially diabetes technology use. For someone with diabetes, our initiative could mean personalized support tailored to their needs
Why important for you, personally, to become involved in diabetes research? What role will this award play?Having personal experience with diabetes deeply influenced my personal interest in diabetes research. Experiencing and witnessing the daily challenges and understanding the impact firsthand motivates me to contribute. I am driven by a desire to improve the lives of my patients and other youth with T1D, especially those who are disproportionately affected. The award will play a huge role in my research efforts. It serves as a foundation for a larger future NIH/ADA application. Above all, it will place me on a trajectory to become a successful independent clinical investigator focusing on enhancing health equity for youth with T1D.
In what direction do you see the future of diabetes research going?The future of diabetes research is multifaceted, encompassing advancements in technology such as automated insulin delivery systems, exploration of immunotherapy to prevent type 1 diabetes, the integration of artificial intelligence for data analysis and treatment optimization, behavioral interventions for improved management, and ongoing drug development for safer and more effective treatments.?While such advancements evoke excitement and hope for the future of diabetes management, they also raise an important question: who will have access to these advancements when they become available? Disparities already exist with access to current diabetes technology and treatments. Hence, conducting health disparities research to dismantle barriers to diabetes care will become increasingly imperative.