Do you have an editorial policy or style guidelines that include recommendations for language related to diabetes? If so: If not: What processes do you use to ensure that internal and external communications teams avoid stigmatizing language when talking about diabetes, and people with diabetes and prediabetes? Click here to download a PDF version of […]
Diabetes stigma refers to negative social judgments, stereotypes, and prejudices about diabetes, or about a person due to their diabetes.1 Diabetes stigma becomes discrimination when it is used in unfair or prejudicial treatment towards a person with diabetes.1 Why does diabetes stigma exist? Most health-related stigma, including diabetes stigma, is caused by shame, blame, fear, […]
Many health professionals are incredibly supportive of people with diabetes and skilled at delivering compassionate, person-centered care and treatment. However, studies show that people with diabetes experience implicit and explicit stigma from health professionals.1-3 What do we know? Unfortunately, implicit and explicit bias against people with diabetes is common among health professionals. In a study […]
There have been many innovations in the technology that people with diabetes use to monitor their glucose levels and deliver insulin in recent years. Continuous glucose monitors (CGM), insulin pumps, and automated insulin delivery (AID) systems have all contributed to helping people better manage their diabetes. However, conversations around diabetes-related technology and devices can sometimes […]
Read More… from How to Talk About Diabetes-Related Technology
Whether it’s metformin, insulin, or newer medications like SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, or dual agonists, there are dozens of helpful medications designed to help people with diabetes manage their glucose levels and reduce their risk for diabetes-related complications. However, conversations around diabetes medications, especially insulin, can be difficult and fraught with stigmatizing and judgmental […]
Read More… from How to Talk About Diabetes-Related Medications
Definitions & Background Diabetes stigma includes the negative stereotypes, blame, judgment, and prejudice that people with diabetes (PWD) experience.1 This type of stigma can lead to discrimination; the unfair or prejudicial treatment of PWD.1 Research suggests as much as 80% of adults with diabetes report experiencing diabetes stigma2 coming from numerous sources: Healthcare professionals (HCPs), […]
Read More… from Checking Our Bias: Removing Stigma in the Clinical Setting
Providing the best care for people with diabetes means making sure that they feel welcome, supported, comfortable, and understood at every healthcare appointment they have. However, the physical environment and the equipment used throughout a healthcare visit can sometimes contribute to stigma. Here’s a checklist to help you set up a stigma-free clinic. Remove or […]
At the d20 Executive Innovation Lab, we took on the ambitious goal of dismantling diabetes stigma. If you want to get involved in disrupting diabetes stigma, please see the three-step primer below for videos to watch and exercises to complete. We have adapted and consolidated the learnings from d20’s pilot program to provide this foundational knowledge […]