Image credit: Artwork created by 16-year-old Sophia V. who has been living with T1D since she was five years old. See more of her work on artbymophree.com and follow her @artbymophree. 

T1D doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

While some people are fortunate enough to  be able to identify symptoms early, others learn of a T1D diagnosis during dangerously high or low blood sugars that result in hospitalization or even diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).  

In others still, T1D can be misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes (T2D) because of implicit bias.

The risks of an emergency or incorrect diagnosis are amplified for members of underserved populations. These individuals often experience significant differences in health outcomes, due to gaps in access to adequate health care and therapies.  

For instance, compared to their white peers, Black youth are more likely to experience DKA at the time of T1D diagnosis, which can contribute to a higher risk of long-term complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s latest report about the prevalence of diabetes in the United States,  among youth under the age of 20, the rate of newly-diagnosed T1D is increasing most sharply in Hispanic and Black populations. 

Learn more about T1D and health equity. 

T1Detect

T1Detect, JDRF’s screening education and awareness program, helps people in the U.S.—even those who do not have a family connection to T1D—get the information they need to determine whether they or a loved one are at risk for T1D.  

 T1Detect* connects anyone at any age to a blood test  to begin their journey in understanding their risk of developing T1D.  

Knowing your T1D autoantibody status is an important first step towards determining your risk of T1D. If you don’t know your T1D autoantibody status, order a test now to get screened yourself and spread the word to your friends and family in your community.

A low-cost T1Detect option is also available.

Learn more about how to get screened now.  

When it comes to understanding your risk, knowledge is power.  

*Due to current state regulations, testing kits are currently not available for distribution to addresses in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania. We are working diligently with the lab to make testing kits accessible in these states as quickly as possible. Please check back frequently for updates, or email info@jdrf.org for more information. A single autoantibody test alone is not sufficient to determine your T1D risk. It must be confirmed and complemented by other testing and advisement by a medical professional expert in T1D. 

Screening: A Crucial Element of Cures Research

T1Detect is not only about preventing DKA. Screening will also accelerate the identification of people at risk of developing T1D, the development of  therapies that can slow down the progression of T1D and, one day, cure T1D. 

Learn more about the important role screening plays in achieving a world without T1D.