Introduction and Objective: Older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) represent a growing, underserved population that could benefit from diabetes technology, yet they are often excluded from clinical trials. Researchers may perceive technology-dependent study participation as challenging for this demographic, particularly with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and virtual platforms. We describe recruitment methods for a United States nationwide virtual trial examining CGM data sharing between older adults with T1D and their care partners. Methods: The Share plus study is a randomized controlled trial recruiting 84 older adults with T1D using CGM and 84 care partners. The intervention group received three one-hour virtual sessions delivered by a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, focusing on communication and problem-solving using Follow and Clarity apps. The control group received standard Diabetes Self-Management Education. Multi-faceted recruitment strategies included an electronic health record (EHR) dashboard for upcoming patient visits, in-person clinic recruitment, EHR opt-out letters, digital marketing through T1D social media communities, and partnership with a recruitment company for targeted digital advertising. Results: Initial inclusion criteria required HbA1c ≥7. 5% and Follow app naïveté, which created significant barriers. After removing these restrictions, recruitment accelerated substantially, achieving 50% enrollment within five months. The recruitment company generated 133 referrals for 28, 820, resulting in 64 enrolled dyads. Potential participants were also contacted from an EHR list. Out of 846 opt-out letters, 17 dyads enrolled. Conclusion: Professional digital recruitment services proved most effective, while traditional methods, including EHR screening and provider referrals, yielded limited success, highlighting challenges in recruiting older adults through conventional clinical trial approaches. Disclosure N. A. Allen: Research Support; Current; Dexcom, Inc. E. Iacob: None. B. Gonzales: None. C. A. Berg: None. H. Naidu: None. C. Buena: None. A. Pickford: None. M. Litchman: Research Support; Current; National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association, Dexcom, Inc. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01DK133270-01)
Allen et al. (Fri,) studied this question.