MON-523 Personal Experiences with Type 2 Diabetes and Early Glycemic Management among Younger Adults

Abstract Disclosure: C. Yin: None. C.A. Board: None. A. Gopalan: None. Introduction: Adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a younger age are at increased risk of developing complications and premature mortality. Younger adults are less likely to achieve evidence-based glycemic targets, with age-based differences apparent within a year of diagnosis. A family history of T2D is a well-established risk factor for younger onset T2D. Understanding if having firsthand experiences with T2D relates to early glycemic outcomes may inform more tailored initial T2D self-management support for this high-risk patient population. We examined the association between self-reported personal T2D experiences and achievement of early glycemic targets in a population of newly diagnosed younger adults. Methods: We conducted a prospective survey of younger adult members (21-44 years) of a large, integrated healthcare system who were diagnosed with T2D within the prior 6 months. Individuals with type 1 diabetes or gestational diabetes were excluded. In the survey, we asked respondents about their family history of T2D (any family T2D history, parent with T2D), family and friends' success or struggle with T2D self-management, and family and friends' experiences of T2D complications or death. These individuals' HbA1c levels at one year following diagnosis were then abstracted from the EHR, with optimal glycemic control defined as an A1c≤7%. Chi-square, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were used to examine associations between personal experiences and 1-year HbA1c. Results: Of the 610 survey respondents, 46.7% were male, the average age was 38 years, 32.1% were Latino, and 25.1% were Asian. Of those with an available 1-year A1c, 72.5% had a value ≤7%. Most (83.6%) reported a family history of T2D, with the majority having a parent with T2D (63.7%); this did not differ by A1c at 1 year (any family history: 84.2% A1c ≤7% vs. 81.9% A1c>7%, p=0.49; parent with T2D: 63.2% A1c≤7% vs. 65.3% A1c>7%, p=0.65). One-year A1c was also not significantly associated with having a family/friend who successfully made lifestyle changes (61.8% A1c ≤7%. vs. 57.6% A1c>7%, p=0.38), struggled with managing T2D (41.3% A1c≤7% vs. 36.1% A1c>7%, p=0.28), or experienced a serious complication or death from T2D (38.7% A1c≤7% vs. 40.3% A1c>7%, p=0.74). Conclusion: Most younger adults diagnosed with T2D receive this diagnosis in the context of personal experience, both positive and negative, with this disease. The presence and nature of these personal experiences, including knowing someone who experienced a complication or died from T2D, were not associated with achieving glycemic targets at one-year. These findings suggest that the relationship between past personal T2D experiences and personal engagement in initial T2D self-management may be complex. Future work should examine how these prior experiences relate to known mediators of glycemic control, such as self-efficacy, distress, and fatalism. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025