20
LIVING
stigma and three quarters (75%)
agreeing more education is needed
to understand more about the
condition.
Neil Harris, general manager of
Abbott's diabetes care business in
the UK and Ireland, commented:
"We want all people with diabetes to
feel confident to care for themselves
and to seek the right support for
themselves and their condition. If
we all took the time to understand
diabetes a little better, and challenge
the stereotypes that inadvertently
cause harm, we can make a big
difference to the lives of people living
with this complex condition."
Through the Let's Change
Perspective campaign, Abbott will
continue to work with the diabetes
community to raise awareness of
the impact of diabetes stigma and
provide helpful solutions to reduce
unconscious bias and support
people with diabetes. Let's Change
Perspective Guide was developed
in partnership with people with
diabetes and Professor Deborah
Christie, with input and guidance
from Diabetes UK. The guide looks at
situations where stigma is frequently
experienced and aims to arm people
with diabetes, and importantly the
Different and complex
Abbott's survey highlights further insights for those living with diabetes,
including:
More than one in five people (21%) with diabetes are left feeling selfconscious
about their condition, with a third (31%) believing that the
way the public speaks about diabetes also has a negative impact on their
emotional wellbeing.
Almost everyone with diabetes surveyed, whether they have Type 1 or
Type 2, believes people assume they are overweight (96%); and that their
condition was caused by their lifestyle (64)% and lack of exercise (49%).
Almost four in five members of the public (78%) associate lack of
exercise with Type 2 diabetes. While at surface level this may be accurate,
as certain lifestyle factors are known to increase the risk of Type 2
diabetes, the causes for every person are different and complex.
Almost a third (29%) of the British public inaccurately believe that
people with diabetes should only consume low sugar meals, whilst 76%
believe people with Type 2 diabetes should give up sugar altogether.
This misunderstanding regarding sugar consumption may fuel the
unconscious bias behind the stigma and blame felt by those living
with diabetes.
general public, to challenge bias in
the moment.
The survey was commissioned by
Abbott and conducted by Opinion
Health in August 2022. The study
had 1,500 participants from the UK,
including 500 people with diabetes
and 1,000 members of general public.
Stigma
experienced
by people with
diabetes is one
of the largest
barriers to
them engaging
with care and
treatment.
~ Professor
Deborah Christie