Stigma in People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

Consequences of diabetes-related stigma. The percentage of adult respondents with type 1 diabetes (Type 1, n = 1,334), type 2 diabetes (Type 2 [all], n = 3,833), type 2 diabetes on pump or MDI therapy (Type 2 Pump/MDI, n = 544), type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy (Type 2 Insulin, n = 1,721), type 2 diabetes not on insulin (Type 2 Noninsulin, n = 2,112), females with type 1 diabetes (Type 1 F, n = 860), males with type 1 diabetes (Type 1 M, n = 472), females with type 2 diabetes (Type 2 F, n = 2,349), and males with type 2 diabetes (Type 2 M, n = 1,468) who strongly agree (scoring 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale) that other people’s perceptions of diabetes have caused them to experience difficulty with an emotional aspect (experiencing feelings of guilt, shame, blame, embarrassment, and isolation), social aspect (being open about diabetes, finding a supportive community, having a full social life, and succeeding at work), or diabetes management aspect (successful management, adherence, and good choices) of living with diabetes. Statements are segmented by the factors associated with a significant increase in reporting of diabetes stigma (Table 1), including diabetes type, therapy regimen, and sex (A), A1C (B), BMI (C), and self-reported blood glucose control (D).