Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Jan 12;103(2):e36863. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036863.
Diabetes-related stigma encompasses stereotypes, discrimination, and blame, significantly influencing diabetes management and overall well-being. Despite high diabetes-related stigma prevalence in various contexts, there is limited research in Saudi Arabia, especially that perceived/enacted by non-diabetics, the so-called social stigma. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess diabetes-related social stigma (DRSS) and to identify correlates among university students in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. A convenience sampling was employed to collect responses from 536 Jazan University students using an online questionnaire. After excluding participants with diabetes mellitus (n = 17), data from 519 individuals were analyzed. The DRSS questionnaire comprised 2 scales: social distancing and negative attitudes and stereotyping. The study found mixed results regarding the student population's attitude toward diabetic patients. Most students displayed favorable answers on social distancing scale statements, with the majority of statements showing willingness to engage in different social aspects with diabetics getting a positive response from at least 96% of respondents. The study identified various types of negative attitudes and stereotyping, for example, 46% of the sample agreed that dealing with a diabetic is upsetting or tiring. Correlates of social distancing included academic year, rural residence, and nonmedical field of specialty, while predictors of negative attitude and stereotyping included female gender and higher family income. The findings indicate a need to improve attitudes related to diabetics among university students in Saudi Arabia, with a particular focus on negative attitude stereotyping. Raising awareness about DRSS, especially among future healthcare professionals, is essential. Further refinement of the DRSS measurement scales is recommended through broader testing among the general population to enhance our understanding of this important issue.
糖尿病相关污名包括刻板印象、歧视和指责，对糖尿病的管理和整体幸福感有重大影响。尽管在各种情况下都普遍存在与糖尿病相关的污名，但在沙特阿拉伯，尤其是在非糖尿病患者中，即所谓的社会污名方面，相关研究却很有限。这项横断面研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯吉赞大学生的糖尿病相关社会污名（DRSS），并确定其相关因素。采用便利抽样法，通过在线问卷收集了吉赞大学 536 名学生的回复。排除患有糖尿病（n=17）的参与者后，对 519 名个体的数据进行了分析。DRSS 问卷包括 2 个量表：社会疏远和消极态度及刻板印象。研究结果显示，学生群体对糖尿病患者的态度存在混合结果。大多数学生对社会疏远量表的陈述持有利态度，其中大多数陈述表明愿意与糖尿病患者参与不同的社会方面，至少有 96%的受访者对这些陈述持积极回应。研究还发现了各种类型的消极态度和刻板印象，例如，46%的样本同意与糖尿病患者打交道令人不安或疲惫。社会疏远的相关因素包括学年、农村居住和非医学专业领域，而消极态度和刻板印象的预测因素包括女性性别和更高的家庭收入。研究结果表明，有必要改善沙特阿拉伯大学生对糖尿病患者的态度，特别是要关注消极态度的刻板印象。提高对 DRSS 的认识，特别是在未来的医疗保健专业人员中，是必要的。建议通过在更广泛的人群中对 DRSS 测量量表进行进一步的测试，以增强我们对这一重要问题的理解。
