Diabetes patients battle blame, shame and judgment over medical condition

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Of more than 365,000 New Zealanders living with diabetes, 80 percent report facing blame, shame or judgment, according to Diabetes New Zealand. Holmes-Truscott explained stigma…

For people with diabetes, everyday language can carry a weight of judgment and stigma.

Those words, among others, have come up again and again during Dr Liz Holmes-Truscott's 16 years of diabetes study.

As the deputy director of the Australian Centre for Behaviour Research in Diabetes, she told RNZ they were used by the media, by the public, by people's families, even by doctors.

"Diabetes stigma occurs when people with diabetes - those at risk of the condition or even those connected to it in different ways, such as health professionals or those caring for people with diabetes - when they're negatively labelled, stereotyped and separated, due to diabetes," she explained.

Of more than 365,000 New Zealanders living with diabetes, 80 percent report facing blame, shame or judgment, according to Diabetes New Zealand.

Holmes-Truscott explained stigma could look like overt discrimination, but was often much more subtle - everyday assumptions, comments, interactions.

At a family barbecue, it might look like this: "You don't look like a person with diabetes" or "Should you be eating that?"

At a doctor's appointment, it could look like this: "Have you been taking your medication correctly?"

Research had shown some patients were even reluctant to share their glucose levels with their doctor for fear of being judged, blamed or shamed, Holmes-Truscott said, which could get in the way of effective care.

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