Exploring the intersection of income and race in an age diverse sample of people with Type 1 diabetes.

Abstract

Prior literature suggests that the social gradient in health is racialised such that Black individuals receive fewer health benefits from socioeconomic status than White individuals, yet scarce research studies examine whether this relationship persists in the context of Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Further, most research studies on racial health disparities in T1D outcomes focus on health during early life. We used data from the 2017-2018 wave of the T1D Exchange Registry (N = 11,963) and examined the relationship between household income, race and HbA1c in an age diverse sample of people with T1D. Results revealed that the inverse association between income and HbA1c is stronger for Black T1Ds compared to White T1Ds. Despite this, Black T1Ds with an income of $100,000 or more had higher HbA1c values compared to White individuals with an income of less than $25,000. Further, Black adolescents with T1D had particularly high HbA1c values. There is an urgent need for more research on the interpersonal and structural barriers associated with suboptimal glycaemic control among Black individuals.