Abstract
Managing health conditions in the aviation industry is crucial to the safe and effective operation of aircraft. With diabetes on the rise, its safety and health implications should be considered in pilots and air traffic control officers (ATCOs). The incapacitation risks of hypoglycaemia remain a leading concern for regulators, and where people with diabetes are allowed to operate, medical fitness and frequent glucose monitoring must be demonstrated.
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG) capillary glucose measurements is typically accepted in aviation. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems provide near-instant measurements of interstitial glucose levels via disposable skin sensors. As they are convenient and demonstrate comparable mean absolute relative difference to SMBG, people with diabetes generally prefer CGM. Pilots and ATCOs can benefit from the tighter glucose management associated with CGM to meet medical certification and on-duty needs without additional operational load. This study investigated the perception of pilots with diabetes on the CGM and SMBG.