Objective: To examine the association between diabetes stigma, socioeconomic status, psychosocial variables, and substance use in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Research Design and Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of AYAs from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study who completed a survey on diabetes-related stigma, generating a total diabetes stigma score. Using multivariable modeling, stratified by diabetes type, we examined the relationship of diabetes stigma with variables of interest.
Results: Of the 1,608 AYAs who completed the diabetes-related stigma survey, 78% had type 1 diabetes and mean age was 21.7 years. Higher diabetes stigma scores were associated with food insecurity (p = 0.001), disordered eating (p < 0.0001), depressive symptoms (p < 0.0001), and decreased health-related (p < 0.0001) and diabetes-specific quality of life (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Diabetes stigma is associated with food insecurity, disordered eating, and lower psychosocial well-being.
Funding
Grant Support (SEARCH 4):
The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth cohort study (1R01DK127208-01, 1UC4DK108173) is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Population Based Registry of Diabetes in Youth Study (1U18DP006131, U18DP006133, U18DP006134, U18DP006136, U18DP006138, and U18DP006139) is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DP-15-002) and supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Grant Support (SEARCH 1, 2, 3):
SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PA numbers 00097, DP-05-069, and DP-10-001) and supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Kaiser Permanente Southern California (U48/CCU919219, U01 DP000246, and U18DP002714), University of Colorado Denver (U48/CCU819241-3, U01 DP000247, and U18DP000247-06A1), Cincinnati's Children's Hospital Medical Center (U48/CCU519239, U01 DP000248, and 1U18DP002709), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (U48/CCU419249, U01 DP000254, and U18DP002708), Seattle Children's Hospital (U58/CCU019235-4, U01 DP000244, and U18DP002710-01] and Wake Forest University School of Medicine (U48/CCU919219, U01 DP000250, and 200-2010-35171).
This study was also supported by 1R01DK117461.
