Diabetes-related stigma in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its association with family support, self-management, and glycemic control in rural southern India: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a noncommunicable disease that requires constant self-management and support systems. Managing diabetes can be stressful due to various restrictions and necessary activities for self-care. Diabetes-related stigma can lead to delays in diagnosis, treatment, and management activities. Therefore, there is a need to assess the stigma associated with diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the stigma associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and established the association between diabetes-related stigma, self-management of diabetes, family support for diabetes, and glycemic control.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Three hundred patients of T2DM attending the Medicine and Diabetic Outpatient Department were selected, and the interviewer administered the questionnaire after obtaining informed written consent. The patients' glucose control, treatment received, presence of complications and comorbidities, and regular follow-up visits to the hospital were assessed using their OP cards from the MRD. Data were analyzed using SPSS and JAMOVI software.

RESULTS

The study population had a mean age of 57 ± 9 years, with men and women participating at similar rates. Approximately 53% of the study population had not achieved glycemic control. Structural equation modeling showed significant negative associations between diabetes-related stigma and glycemic control, negative associations between family support and stigma, and positive associations between family support and self-management as well as between self-management and glycemic control.

CONCLUSION

In patients of T2DM with uncontrolled blood sugar, there is a need to address stigma associated with the disease as a part of individual assessment.