Practical and psychological aspects of glucose monitoring and insulin therapy
Fingerprick and continuous glucose monitoring (accuracy, lag, interference, Australian access), injection technique and lipohypertrophy, needle phobia, diabetes distress and fear of hypoglycaemia, sharps safety, hypoglycaemia preparedness, and Austroads driving and occupational rules for people on insulin.
Tier 1Topic overview
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Insulin works only if it's injected properly into healthy tissue, and monitoring helps only if it's interpreted and acted on.
- CGM measures interstitial glucose. It lags blood, can be fooled by some drugs, and should be checked with a fingerprick when readings and symptoms disagree.
- Psychological barriers are common: needle fear, diabetes distress, fear of hypoglycaemia and deliberate insulin omission. Screen for them, because they explain many "unexplained" results.
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Sources
- Assessing Fitness to Drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers (diabetes mellitus chapter)AU/NZAustroads and National Transport Commission, 2022
- Continuous glucose monitoring for people with type 1 diabetesAU/NZNational Diabetes Services Scheme, page updated October 2026
- MSAC application 1785: real-time CGM for people with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes (deferred July 2025 and again July 2026)AU/NZMedical Services Advisory Committee, Public summary documents July 2025 and July 2026
- Dexcom: interfering substances (acetaminophen, hydroxyurea)Dexcom
- Australian Diabetes Society consensus statement: ambulatory glucose profile and summary CGM reportingAU/NZAustralian Diabetes Society, 2022 update
- Position statement: equitable access to diabetes technologyAU/NZDiabetes Australia, 2024, updated June 2025
- Battelino T et al. Clinical targets for continuous glucose monitoring data interpretation: recommendations from the international consensus on time in range. Diabetes Care 2019;42:1593-603Diabetes Care, 2019
- Frid AH et al. New insulin delivery recommendations (FITTER). Mayo Clin Proc 2016;91:1231-55Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2016
- Standards of Care in Diabetes 2026: Sections 5 (behaviour change and wellbeing) and 7 (diabetes technology)American Diabetes Association (Diabetes Care 2026;49 Suppl 1), 2026
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992AU/NZAustralian Government (Federal Register of Legislation)
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Turnstile bot check on sign-in and signed-out feedback