DISTRESS AND STIGMA IN DIABETES, is it relevant?

[Rene Droomer]

Be a part of the change!

I am Rene Droomer, a postgraduate student at the University of Derby and a fellow person with diabetes and have been for 25 years. I am undertaking research in Diabetes distress and stigma to determine if it has any impact on our diabetes self care 1.If you are 18 years or older, 2. are resident in the UK and 3. have a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, I hope you will consider taking part in my online research. Participation is completely anonymous and it should take no more than about 15 minutes of your time. It would be great if you would be part of furthering research in diabetes.

Please click on the link below if you are willing to contribute to furthering research and treatment outcomes in diabetes.

🙂 https://derby.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a90jq9b9vb4j7Fj 🙂

 

[Rene Droomer]

Happy New Year everyone. I know there are some of you that took this survey in December and I am very grateful for your contribution. A new year and a new beginning so I thought I would put it out again in hopes that more of you would be able to help contribute. Thank you so much for your consideration. I am over the flu and feeling much better.

 

[Northerner]

Happy New Year everyone. I know there are some of you that took this survey in December and I am very grateful for your contribution. A new year and a new beginning so I thought I would put it out again in hopes that more of your would be able to help contribute. Thank you so much for your consideration. I am over the flu and feeling much better.

Glad to hear you are feeling better Rene 🙂

Please help if you can! 🙂

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I am undertaking research in Diabetes distress and stigma to determine if it has any impact on our diabetes self care

I'm curious to know why s many researchers have decided that people with diabetes are distressed or feel having diabetes is a stigma.

It's almost as if researchers are pushing people to feel this way, why?

Yes having diabetes can be very frustrating at times but then isn't life in general?
Having diabetes doesn't stop you doing anything in life.

 

[Rene Droomer]

I'm curious to know why s many researchers have decided that people with diabetes are distressed or feel having diabetes is a stigma.

It's almost as if researchers are pushing people to feel this way, why?

Yes having diabetes can be very frustrating at times but then isn't life in general?
Having diabetes doesn't stop you doing anything in life.

These are good questions, thank you. Living with diabetes results in a significant lifestyle change, particularly for those diagnosed later in life or through the teenage years, it requires a great deal of education and also may feel to some to restrict them in some ways. There is documented research undertaken over the past 20 plus years that tells us that those with diabetes suffer from higher levels of distress and are much more likely to suffer from depression related to their condition.

Stigma is a new concept relating to diabetes and previously it was assumed there was no stigma attached to the condition but this was a view held largely by those not having the condition. There is recent documented research that those with this condition have been affected in various way such as travel choices, exercise routine, secrecy about their condition for fear of discrimination in the workplace etc. The scale I use in my research is the first quantitative scale used to ask questions relating to stigma and diabetes.

These aspects are studied to better understand the impact of diabetes on those with the condition so that we may formulate more effective ways to assist those who find themselves in difficulty. Knowing more about these aspects of living with the condition assists in formulation of education programs for both the wider public, doctors in treatment and for the individuals feeling distress or stigma because of their condition. My personal end goal is to formulate an intervention that goes beyond the current clinical benchmark of HbA1c, to better assist those living with diabetes to educate themselves and formulate effective interventions to assist those in times of difficulty and also to formulate scientifically validated methods to better predict those who may be at risk of distress. There are many very good reasons why these aspects of diabetes are researched.

Personally I have not let it hold me back from doing most of what I have wanted to, but I have felt some aspects of stigma attached to injecting or testing in public.

I hope this explains a bit?