“I feel like I'm being talked to like an equal”: Diabetes language matters to adults with diabetes, a mixed‐methods study
Authors' conclusion
These findings provide novel evidence into (non-)preferred, and potential (negative and positive) impacts of, commonly used diabetes words/phrases, supporting the international #LanguageMatters movement.
Study context
- Population
- Adults (aged 18+ years) living with diabetes, or parenting a child with diabetes
- Participants
- 865 adults
- Exposure
- Type 1 vs Type 2 vs Other types vs Parents
- Type 1n = 519
- Type 2n = 180
- Other typesn = 48
- Parentsn = 118
- Outcome
- Reactions to and preferences for 22 commonly used diabetes words/phrases (cognitive perceptions and emotional reactions)
Methodological detailsonline, recruited via social media, Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis
- Online
- Recruited via social media
- Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Perceptions/emotional responses to diabetes words/phrases
- 'non-compliant': judgmental
- 60%
- 'non-compliant': felt blamed
- 47%
- '…good/bad': judgmental
- 54%
- '…good/bad': blamed
- 43%
- 'managing diabetes': helpful
- 73%
- 'managing diabetes': felt understood
- 47%
- 'person with diabetes': respectful
- 72%
- 'person with diabetes': understood
- 49%
- '…within/outside target range': helpful
- 60%
- '…within/outside target range': understood
- 44%
- 'condition': respectful
- 58%
- 'condition': understood
- 43%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Qualitative themes
- Five themes: accuracy and simplicity; identity; blame, judgement and stigma; respect and trust; support, hope and feeling understood
- Themes were consistent across diabetes types
Original publication
“I feel like I'm being talked to like an equal”: Diabetes language matters to adults with diabetes, a mixed‐methods study. Diabet Med. Published 16 August 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →