Diabetes patients experience ‘high levels of stigma’, survey finds

A new survey has revealed the significant blame and stigma that people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes can face in the UK.

The first-of-its-kind Diabetes UK survey found that 86% of people with type 1 diabetes and 75% of people with type 2 diabetes experience judgement for their condition.

The survey is the first UK version of the Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale – a self-report that measures ‘perceived and experienced stigma’ linked to living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The survey was conducted by YouGov and is based on responses from 1,608 adults living with diabetes in the UK – including 8% of respondents who had type 1 diabetes and 92% who had type 2 diabetes.

Results showed that 55% of people with type 1 diabetes agreed that some people think they need insulin because they ‘can’t look after themselves’.

The survey also discovered that 53% of people with type 2 diabetes agree that there is a negative stigma around the condition being inaccurately labelled a ‘lifestyle disease’.

Diabetes UK said stigma around the condition follows from misconceptions and misunderstandings on the causes of diabetes, as well as the day-to-day reality of living with the condition.

The charity warned that feeling blamed or judged for having diabetes can have major impacts on individuals physical and mental wellbeing.

Stigma can also see some people avoid attending healthcare appointments, it added.

Diabetes UK chief executive Colette Marshall said: ‘Diabetes is serious, and as well as managing a relentless condition, far too many people are also dealing with blame and judgement. No one should feel judged for their diagnosis.

‘We must challenge the harmful myths and misconceptions that fuel this stigma and work together to create a society that offers understanding and support, not shaming and stereotyping.’

The charity urged healthcare professionals, friends and family to increase their understanding of what it is like to live with diabetes and called for more research to be done in this area.

Last week, Pulse reported that GPs could face a significant rise in prescribing and monitoring workload under draft NICE guidelines that recommend much earlier use of newer type 2 diabetes drugs.

The draft guidance would see SGLT-2 inhibitors started first-line for most diabetics – not just those with heart failure, cardiovascular disease or high cardiovascular risk as is currently the case – along with metformin or alone if metformin is not tolerated or contraindicated.

And a rapidly evolving guideline has recommended two key drugs be prescribed in all patients with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk of cardiovascular and kidney complications.

A version of this story was first published on our sister title Nursing in Practice