Perceived Social Stigma and Its Relationship with Demographic and Clinical Characteristics in Adolescents and Young People with Type 1 Diabetes

The term stigma indicates characteristic labeling, in a way, that the individual becomes an outcast in his /her living environment for physical or psychological reason and in the case of patching it becomes ill fated. The objective of this study was to determine the perceived social stigma and its relationship with the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods and Materials: In this analytical descriptive study, conducted in 2018, 135 patients with type 1 diabetes in Tabriz health centers, who met the inclusion criteria, were assessed using the purposeful sampling method. Data were collected on demographics also using social stigma questionnaires. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using independent t-test and one way ANOVA.

The majority of participants were women, with an average age of 26.02±7.27 years. Total mean for social stigma of the participants was 51.43±12.16, considered a moderate level. There was a significant relationship between social stigma and age, marital status, place of residence, educational level, duration of diabetes, diabetic family history and different levels of hemoglobin glycosylation.

Based on the research results, the comprehensive effort and support of the treatment team, viz nurses is more effective educating diabetes patients and is vital for improving their knowledge about diabetes, to facilate coping with the psychological and emotional complications of diabetes and its social stigma.