Diabetes Forecast - August 2012

Health Coping

“D” The Word
And 8 other terms the diabetes world could live without
By Ellen D. Davis, RN, MS, CDE, FAADE; Michelle Pearce, PhD; and
Bryan C. Batch, MD, Duke University Health System

Let’s get one thing straight: Your diabetes doesn’t define you. Character is forged by our life experiences and your environment— not by how well your pancreas works.

Yet we allow certain terms to creep into our vernacular until we’re defining ourselves and others, too. That needs to stop, starting with the words and phrases below.

diabetic, n.

There’s a reason the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Forecast, and most scientific journals avoid using the term “diabetic” as a noun: People with the disease are diverse individuals, not a single entity. Some people identify themselves as “diabetics” and find that the term provides a useful narrative framework in which they manage the realities of living with the condition. But not everyone feels that way.

Many people with diabetes see the term as stigmatizing. They advocate that the language used to describe the condition and the person living with the condition be carefully distinguished. Another reason “diabetic” should be scrapped? Defining a group of individuals with a similar disease by their condition may prevent others, including family members and health care providers, from thinking about their experiences and needs as individuals.

bad, adj.

People speak about “bad” glucose readings, a “bad” A1C, or an overall “bad” day. But the data don’t define you. That is, you are not your number.

The idea of a “bad” number can unintentionally discourage self-monitoring by focusing attention on a so-called mistake. It’s a poor motivator for ongoing, upbeat self-care, especially when a person already carries around guilt (such as, “It’s my fault I have diabetes”). Using the word “bad” to refer to blood glucose or A1C numbers also hinders collaboration with health care providers. Revealing blood glucose records to a doctor can be intimidating, especially if you anticipate hearing about how “bad” your numbers are.

That’s why doing away with the idea of “bad” numbers is crucial. Sharing home-monitoring trends and engaging in mutual problem solving enables people with diabetes and providers to evaluate and, if necessary, try other strategies.