New awareness tool will help healthcare professionals tackle diabetes stigma

A new tool designed to help healthcare professionals recognise and avoid language that can contribute to diabetes stigma during healthcare appointments has been published.

Based on NHS Language Matters, Diabetes UK has launched a new BLAME-aware tool.

While often unintentional, the use of stigmatising language around diabetes can leave people feeling blamed and judged – affecting both their emotional wellbeing and engagement with healthcare services.

More than 12 million adults in the UK are currently living with diabetes or prediabetes, and research commissioned by Diabetes UK has found that 86 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes and 75 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes have experienced blame or judgement for their condition.

Further research also revealed that half of people living with diabetes have missed healthcare appointments because they feared stigma or judgement.

As well as disengagement from healthcare appointments, experiencing diabetes stigma has been linked to lower self-esteem, diabetes distress, symptoms of depression and increasing the risk of serious complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and sight loss.

The new guidance sets out five common ways diabetes stigma can appear in conversations and healthcare settings:

• Blaming someone for their weight, food choices or glucose levels can lead to feelings of “failure” and disengagement from healthcare. Diabetes is a complex condition with multiple factors contributing to why it develops and how its managed

• Labelling people as ‘non-compliant’ or ‘diabetic’ can feel dehumanising and reduces a person to a condition rather than recognising them as an individual living with diabetes

• Assumptions including prejudging someone based on their ethnicity or cultural background can create further obstacles in someone trying to access care that’s right for them

• Misconceptions continue to fuel stereotypes. Myths about diabetes ignore the reality of living with a lifelong condition that requires constant management, decision-making and emotional resilience

• Emphasis on “’good’ and ‘bad’ diabetes management can leave people feeling unsupported in managing a complex condition. Language that frames diabetes management as pass or fail, risks reinforcing shame rather than encouraging support and engagement.

Hannah Greer, Stigma Campaigns Lead at Diabetes UK, said: “For far too many people with diabetes, managing their physical health is only part of the challenge.

“Diabetes stigma is everywhere – in media headlines, in online comments and even from friends and family.”

She added: “It’s so important that healthcare professionals don’t add to the emotional toll of diabetes.

“Through our new BLAME-aware tool, we want to help healthcare professionals better understand how small changes to language can make a big difference to people with diabetes.”

She concluded: “Language matters, and it’s so important we encourage conversations that are rooted in compassion, respect and support.”

Diabetes UK is encouraging healthcare professionals, employers, schools, families and the wider public to challenge misconceptions surrounding diabetes through its ‘Strike out Stigma’ campaign.

For support relating to diabetes stigma, Diabetes UK also offers a dedicated helpline on 0345 123 2399 for people living with diabetes, their families and carers.

The BLAME-aware tool is available to download here: BLAME poster FINAL_digital.pdf.