RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Stigma in People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
JF Clinical Diabetes
JO diaclin
FD American Diabetes Association
SP 27
OP 34
DO 10.2337/cd16-0020
VO 35
IS 1
A1 Liu, Nancy F.
A1 Brown, Adam S.
A1 Folias, Alexandra E.
A1 Younge, Michael F.
A1 Guzman, Susan J.
A1 Close, Kelly L.
A1 Wood, Richard
YR 2017
UL http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/1/27.abstract
AB IN BRIEF This study quantitatively measures diabetes stigma and its associated psychosocial impact in a large population of U.S. patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes using an online survey sent to 12,000 people with diabetes. A majority of respondents with type 1 (76%) or type 2 (52%) diabetes reported that diabetes comes with stigma. Perceptions of stigma were significantly higher among respondents with type 1 diabetes than among those with type 2 diabetes, with the highest rate in parents of children with type 1 diabetes (83%) and the lowest rate in people with type 2 diabetes who did not use insulin (49%). Our results suggest that a disturbingly high percentage of people with diabetes experience stigma, particularly those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are on intensive insulin therapy. The experience of stigma disproportionately affects those with a higher BMI, higher A1C, and poorer self-reported blood glucose control, suggesting that those who need the most help are also the most affected by stigma.