Health Care Provider Perceptions of Screening for Early-Stage Type 1 Diabetes-A Survey Study.

AIMS: To evaluate the feasibility, perceived benefits, and challenges of integrating early-stage Type 1 diabetes screening and monitoring into routine care.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Primary health care providers (HCPs; n = 683), responsible for collecting capillary blood samples and obtaining informed consent, and specialised diabetes centres (n = 17), responsible for monitoring children with early-stage Type 1 diabetes using oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and HbA1c, within an early-stage Type 1 diabetes screening programme in Bavaria, Germany (Fr1da) were invited to participate in an online survey.

RESULTS

Among the 194 responding primary HCPs, 66% rated overall feasibility of integrating screening in routine care as 'very good' or 'good'. More than 70% rated informing families about screening and communicating results positively, while 54% rated capillary blood sampling positively. Among the 10 responding diabetes centres, ≥ 80% rated feasibility of OGTT and HbA1c positively. Families' acceptance of glucose (on-site or at-home) and HbA1c monitoring was perceived as high. Screening was considered beneficial by 91% of primary HCPs and by all diabetes centres, emphasising reduced efforts for insulin initiation and long-term care. Reported key challenges included time and staffing constraints and inadequate reimbursement.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine-care implementation of early-stage Type 1 diabetes screening is broadly supported by primary HCPs and diabetes centres and could be facilitated by refined workflows and appropriate reimbursement.