Stigma and healthcare professional support among adults with diabetes in Japan: A cross-sectional study.
Yuchun Yang, Jiamin Jiang, Kei Takahashi and 9 others
PMID 41178002WHAT IT FOUND
Japanese adults with diabetes who reported more support from doctors and nurses had lower stigma scores.
The links were clearer in those under 65 than in those 65 and older.
Key findings
01Total diabetes stigma was associated with both doctors' support and nurses' support, with higher support linked to lower stigma.
02Among adults under 65, social stigma and self-stigma were linked to doctors' and nurses' support, while discordant stigma was linked to doctors' support but not nurses' support.
03Among adults 65 or older, social stigma and self-stigma were not linked to doctors' or nurses' support, but discordant stigma was linked to both.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot establish whether support lowers stigma or stigma lowers perceived support. Only 136 of 246 distributed questionnaires were valid, and the target sample size was about 200. Non-completers were older than completers (mean 70.8 years versus 65.2 years), so older adults may be underrepresented. Participants were recruited from diabetes specialist settings in the Kansai Region, so the findings may not apply elsewhere. Participants generally had lower stigma scores than previous studies, especially those aged 65 or older, so the results may not match other populations.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that nurses' support causes stigma to fall. The study measured stigma and support at the same time, so it cannot show which came first.