Type 2 Diabetes Patients and Stigma:

A Literature Review from a Healthcare Perspective

Abstract

Objective: To comprehensively review the published literature about negative perceptions of type 2 diabetes（stigma）experienced by the patients.

Methods: The electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ichushi, and CiNii were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between January 1963 and July 2015 by using the keywords “type 2 diabetes AND stigma” in English as well as “nigata tounyobyo AND sutiguma” in Japanese. The search was further narrowed to original articles that focused on stigma experienced by type 2 diabetes patients.

Results: Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Two focused solely on stigma that type 2 diabetes patients experienced, whereas thirteen focused on other research topics and derived stigma as one of the factors underlying their poor self-care behaviors. A qualitative research design was the most frequently used（13 articles). The influence of stigma on type 2 diabetes patients already started with their health behaviors before and right after the diagnosis, and carried through to their self-care behaviors after initiation of treatment. This made it difficult for these patients to receive social support from family, friends, and colleagues throughout their course of treatment.

Conclusions: For future research on stigma among type 2 diabetes patients, three distinct questionnaires must be developed to measure discrete concepts of enacted stigma, felt stigma, and self-stigma. This will help to precisely grasp the size and distribution of the influence of stigma on their self-care behaviors to investigate how, when, and where the most effective clinical interventions can be made.