Widespread misconceptions about Type 1 diabetes could be contributing to a reluctance to get screened for the autoimmune disease, according to a survey Sanofi commissioned.
Working with the nonprofit Beyond Type 1, Sanofi tasked Ipsos with surveying U.S. adults who are at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes and caregivers for at-risk children. The collaborators augmented data from the 1,000-person survey with insights from interviews of 511 adults and caregivers in California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York and Texas.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said Type 1 diabetes is primarily diagnosed in children, despite adults accounting for more than half of new cases. One-fifth of respondents said autoantibody screening isn’t necessary for adults.
Limited awareness of adult-onset Type 1 diabetes is one of several barriers to screening observed in the survey. The survey found a disconnect between the proportion of people concerned about their or their child’s Type 1 diabetes risk—82%—and the number planning to get screened. When asked about the next six months, 46% of respondents said they either won’t get screened or are undecided whether to do so.
The survey found 85% of respondents felt more likely to screen once they learned that they were at a heightened risk of developing the disease. Respondents named a doctor’s recommendation and learning more about the screening process as the top two motivators for getting tested.
Sanofi received an expanded FDA label for Type 1 diabetes treatment Tzield last month. The drug, which is used to delay disease progression, is part of a portfolio of Type 1 diabetes drugs that includes insulin products such as Toujeo. Sanofi reported (PDF) Tzield sales of 14 million euros ($16 million) in the first quarter.
The survey’s focus on screening continues Sanofi’s interest in the topic. Last year, the drugmaker signed up model Chrissy Teigen for a campaign to encourage people to screen early for Type 1 diabetes. Teigen’s 6-year-old son, Miles, was hospitalized with complications of the autoimmune disease.