16
LIVING
Changing perspective
A survey by Abbott identifies a disconnect between
the perceptions of the British public and those living
with diabetes when it comes to stigma surrounding
the condition.
Some Brits living with
diabetes have felt stigma and
bias impact their ability to
manage their condition. In
the first UK-wide survey of people
with and without diabetes to explore
diabetes-related stigma identifies
the general public's unconscious bias
towards those with the condition.
Nearly 75% of Brits living with
diabetes have viewed negative
commentary towards their condition
on social media, television and
online, while one in four Brits with
diabetes believe stigma has negatively
impacted their management of the
condition (24%), and emotional
wellbeing (31%). To address the key
points raised in the survey, Abbott
has launched a new campaign in the
UK, Let's Change Perspective, to
provide tools to help create better
conversations around diabetes.
The survey of 1,500 people
shows the UK population has a good
understanding of the impact of
managing the condition, accurately
associating diabetes with 'insulin'
(76%), and 'testing sugar levels'
(40%)i. However, 80% of the general
public claim to have never witnessed
diabetes stigma, despite almost the
same proportion of the diabetes
community (73%) having seen
stigmatising behaviour towards the
condition, particularly on social
media, TV and online.
The disconnect between the
stigma experienced by people with
diabetes and the general public's
lack of awareness of it, suggests
widespread unconscious bias towards