Diabetes stigma: National Diabetes Week 2021

Would you mind? This National Diabetes Week, raise your voice against diabetes stigma

‘As a practising Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE), I know firsthand how difficult diabetes stigma can be on people living with diabetes. It is important that everyone understands, diabetes isn’t anyone’s fault and that every person living with diabetes deserves to live their healthiest life without fear of judgment or shame because they live with a chronic condition. This year let’s all raise our voice against diabetes stigma’ Tracey Tellam, CDE, ADEA President.

National Diabetes Week runs from 11 July-18 July. This year’s national campaign will focus on countering diabetes stigma. This stigma is a barrier to optimal self-care that can have negative psychological, behavioural, and physical consequences.

People with diabetes report feeling blamed for developing the condition

Diabetes has some image problems. People with diabetes report feeling blamed for developing the condition, stigma around the use of insulin, feeling judged on their food choices, and a range of other issues. In fact, 60% of people with type 2 diabetes believe there is a negative stigma about living with diabetes, and 52% of people with type 1 diabetes report experiencing stigma¹.

Diabetes stigma can lead to depression and psychological impacts in people living with diabetes². This year’s campaign contains tips for doctors and health providers in talking to their patients living with diabetes. Additionally, we provide support for people living with diabetes in how to respond to the most common statements made about diabetes stigma. This year let’s all do our part to combat diabetes stigma.   

National Diabetes Week resources

• ADEA podcast episode, launched on Monday 12 July
• Webinar on understanding stigma, with Jane Speight, Ashley Ng and Nicole Walker, 6:30 pm Tuesday 13 July
• #ADEAchat on Twitter, with host Ashley Ng, APD and guest Faisal Sabih, RN CDE
• Online panel discussion: Barriers and solutions to the initiation and intensification of insulin, 7:00pm, Tuesday 13 July (together with the Australian Diabetes Society)

Further to this, we have created a series of promotional material including;  

• ‘Would you mind?’ a document designed to break down diabetes stigmas with information, facts and graphics
• social media tiles and graphics
  • available for use, with acknowledgement of ADEA, across social media platforms

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•  a video series relaying the stories of diabetes stigma, as faced by a child with diabetes, a mother, and a Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) [see below for videos]

¹ Browne, J., Ventura, A., Mosely, K. and Speight, J. (2014). ‘I’m not a druggie, I’m just a diabetic’: a qualitative study of stigma from the perspective of adults with type 1 diabetes. BMJ Open, 4(7), pp.e005625-e005625.
² Browne, J., Scibilia, R. and Speight, J. (2013). The needs, concerns, and characteristics of younger Australian adults with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, 30(5), pp.620-626.