Diabetes is proportionally high in Māori. Photo / Supplied
Diabetes is proportionally high in Māori. Photo / Supplied
Demand for diabetes technology is expected to increase by up to 400%, but the health system is unprepared.
Professor Ben Wheeler received $1.4 million to develop a model for equitable access to automated insulin delivery.
Only 500 to 1000 people are trained annually, causing inequity based on ethnicity, location, and socio-economic status.
The demand for recently-funded diabetes technology is likely to skyrocket by up to 400% in coming years, but the public health system is not equipped to meet this need, an Otago researcher says.
Professor Ben Wheeler, from the Department of Women and Children’s Health at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, has been awarded almost $1.4 million to develop a new model of care for faster and more equitable access to automated insulin delivery (AID) for people with type 1 diabetes.
Wheeler is one of 12 Otago researchers to receive funding in the latest Health Research Council funding round, totalling more than $4.6m.
Type 1 diabetes affects up to 25,000 people in Aotearoa New Zealand, with loss of up to 20 years' life expectancy reported, especially in those diagnosed at a young age, and of Māori/Pacific ethnicity.
Approximately 15-20% of people with type 1 diabetes are currently using AID, Wheeler says.
Professor Ben Wheeler.
Pharmac-funded access to the “gold standard” AID technology was widened in late 2024, which will see demand for AID use by people with type 1 diabetes increase to 70-80% in the coming years – an increase of up to 400%, he says.
“Unfortunately, with this widened access the public health system is not meeting the demand, and many are missing out or experiencing large waiting lists to access training and systems.
“Some regions have even suspended training because of health workforce challenges.”
Only between 500 and 1000 people with type 1 diabetes are currently able to be trained to use the technology annually out of 12,000 – 15,000 people who are expected to seek AID, he says.
“This is creating massive inequity based on ethnicity, location [rural vs urban], and socio-economic status.”
Wheeler’s research seeks to provide a solution by evaluating a model of AID training and remote support developed in Otago’s world-leading AID research trials.
It also removes postcode lotteries to access by providing fly-in fly-out training throughout NZ, and remote support regardless of home region/postcode.
“We hope to demonstrate that our proposed model of care can be scaled up and lead to fast, effective, safe and equitable access to advanced diabetes technology throughout New Zealand.
“Without this funding we would be unable to undertake this research – particularly research so directly connected to improving diabetes care throughout all of New Zealand.”
Dr Sarah McKenzie, from the Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, is “extremely grateful” to have received an HRC Career Development Award of more than $170,000 to explore the unique challenges men face accessing mental health support via primary care.
Men are often less likely than women to seek help for mental health difficulties, but very little is known in New Zealand about the specific challenges men face accessing support, McKenzie says.
“That means mental distress often goes undetected or untreated among men.
“This is significant considering three-quarters of all suicides in New Zealand occur among men, with over half having contact with primary healthcare services in the six months leading up to their death.”
Her research will be conducted in collaboration with colleagues in primary healthcare, to better understand men’s experiences of accessing mental health support as well as the difficulties healthcare professionals encounter in delivering services to men.
Paula O’Kane, from the Department of Management, received a grant of almost $30,000 to undertake a pilot study in Dunedin to understand what older adults in Aotearoa value when “ageing in place”.
Existing research indicates that ageing in place has different meanings and connotations within different communities and this could include ageing in your own home, or valuing the importance of community, she says.
“Understanding what our local communities in Dunedin [and eventually beyond] need and want to age successfully is vital to the wellbeing of older people.”
Receiving the HRC funding means researchers involved in the Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence Otago Research Theme can begin the potentially impactful project, that will hopefully be expanded nationally and with key universities globally, she says.
Nine Otago researchers were also awarded funding from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, totalling more than $1m.
