CCS Report Reveals Misconceptions Among People Living With Diabetes; Calls for Enhanced Engagement, Education

A new report by CCS shed light on prevalent misconceptions and unmet needs among individuals living with diabetes in the US.¹

Based on insights from more than 1500 survey respondents who have diabetes, the report highlighted that 57% of individuals believed that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs alone could be a "silver bullet" for managing their health goals.

“GLP-1 weight loss drugs alone are not a silver bullet when it comes to improving the health and well-being of those living with diabetes,” said Arti Masturzo, MD, MBA, chief medical officer of CCS, in the CCS news release. “These drugs do offer hope for those living with diabetes and others looking to manage obesity, but they should be prescribed in conjunction with hands-on personalized education and coaching, as well as the appropriate medical device technology needed to streamline diabetes self-management.”²

Semaglutide is one of these GLP-1 receptor agonists, and with the boom in uptake over the past few years, especially among celebrities—and the subsequent shortage—it’s understandable why so many people see it as a one-and-done approach to weight loss.³ However, the findings of this survey suggest individuals with diabetes may lack a comprehensive understanding of how these medications should be incorporated into a complete care strategy to effectively oversee metabolic well-being. This is especially seen in another part of the survey finding that a third of respondents felt their doctor did not give them enough information about diabetes when they first received their diagnosis.

According to Masturzo, this is heavily due to many physicians “becoming numb” after diagnosing a condition so many times that the conversation has turned into a routine.

“Part of that routine has been, ‘Here's a drug, here's a prescription plan, go exercise, join a gym,’ and then it's done,” she told The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) in an exclusive interview. “And what we're learning is that, clearly if you look at our health outcomes, it's not working.”

Additionally, 71% of respondents believe that organizations involved in their diabetes care should engage with them between doctor visits, revealing a desire for increased support beyond clinical appointments. Despite this need for ongoing engagement, the survey found that 41% of respondents typically see their clinician only 2 to 3 times a year for diabetes management, indicating a gap in continuous support. Alarmingly, 42% reported experiencing life-threatening emergencies related to diabetes, with 82% of these respondents believing these emergencies could have been prevented with better diabetes management support.

In discussing early patient engagement strategies, the Masturzo emphasized the importance of establishing trust and support from the time of diagnosis. Talking to AJMC, she highlighted the need for comprehensive care solutions, such as education on device usage and ongoing support, particularly for individuals new to continuous glucose monitors. Masturzo also underscored the importance of meeting patients' diverse preferences for engagement, advocating for a multimodal approach that includes digital, telehealth, and in-person options to effectively empower patients in managing their condition.

“What I am proposing is that we stop looking at this as a routine diagnosis and go back to the roots of health care, which is creating patient-physician relationships or patient-clinician relationships that are more about quality rather than quantity,” Masturzo told AJMC.

References

1. CCS. Misconceptions and fragmentation: the state of diabetes care in America. March 7, 2024. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://ccsmed.com/consumerinsights/
2. New report: people living with diabetes have false hope in GLP-1s, strong demand for more engagement and education. News release. Business Wire. March 7, 2024. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240307559304/en/New-Report-People-Living-with-Diabetes-Have-False-Hope-in-GLP-1s-Strong-Demand-for-More-Engagement-and-Education
3. Klein HE. An ongoing crisis: semaglutide shortage raises dual concerns for obesity and diabetes treatment. AJMC. December 21, 2023. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.ajmc.com/view/an-ongoing-crisis-semaglutide-shortage-raises-dual-concerns-for-obesity-and-diabetes-treatment