MONICA GOMBERG; COLIN MULLANEY; PETER CALHOUN; MEGAN BUHLER; KIRA CHANEY; SARAH WESTEN; LEONARD W. D’AVOLIO
Introduction and Objective: Blue Circle Health (BCH), funded by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, delivers a 6-month virtual care, education, and support model for adults with type 1 diabetes. This study extends prior work by evaluating diabetes distress longitudinally within an updated program that includes expanded distress assessment and clinician training to integrate baseline distress profiles into personalized care. The aim is to assess pre-post changes in overall emotional distress and specific distress sources among patients completing the BCH program.
Methods: Patients completed the Type 1-Diabetes Distress Assessment System (T1-DDAS) at program entry and exit. Analyses evaluated pre-post changes in CORE (emotional distress) and SOURCE (10 sources of distress) scores for assessments collected between Dec 16, 2024 and Nov 30, 2025.
Results: A total of 148 participants completed the program; mean age was 41 years; 71% identified as female, 61% as Caucasian, 24% as Hispanic, and 11% as Black; 14% were uninsured, 16% had government insurance, and 32% were unemployed or on disability. Significant reductions were observed in emotional distress (CORE subscale) and across all 10 sources (SOURCE subscales) of diabetes-related distress.
Conclusion: Results demonstrate reductions in diabetes distress, underscoring the consistency and replicability of the program’s impact. Future work will evaluate whether these improvements are maintained after program completion.
Disclosure
M. Gomberg: None. C. Mullaney: None. P. Calhoun: None. M. Buhler: None. K. Chaney: None. S. Westen: None. L.W. D’Avolio: None.
Funding
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
