Racial Ethnic Disparities in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Participating in Diabetes Summer Camps

OBJECTIVE Diabetes camps are beneficial for campers and include benefits such as increases in diabetes knowledge, glycemic control, and psychological functioning. Racial/ethnic minority youth are likely to have poorer disease management and glycemic control. We hypothesized that minority youth with type 1 diabetes have reduced participation in diabetes summer camps.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed deidentified data from 5,256 campers with type 1 diabetes who participated in a network of 48 American Diabetes Association–affiliated summer camps in 2018, and we compared participation rates by racial/ethnic category to the most recent SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study prevalence rates.

RESULTS Camper demographics were significantly different than in the general population of children with type 1 diabetes (P < 0.001). Minority youth were more likely to attend day camp, be first-time campers, and request financial aid, and they were less likely to be on insulin pump therapy or use continuous glucose monitors.

CONCLUSIONS Racial/ethnic minority youth with diabetes are underrepresented in diabetes camps nationwide.