Using Contact-Based Education to Reduce Diabetes-Related Stigma Among Medical Residents in a Military Health System

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Healthcare provider stigma negatively impacts doctor-patient relationships and diabetes self-care.
• Previous studies suggest contact-based education can improve medical students' attitudes toward patients with diabetes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a contact-based educational intervention in reducing diabetes-related stigma among internal medicine residents.
• To assess changes in residents' attitudes towards patients with diabetes after participating in a personal experience panel.

Main Methods:

• A panel of individuals with lived experience of diabetes (type 1 and type 2) shared their experiences with internal medicine residents.
• The Diabetes Attitude Scale-3 (DAS-3) questionnaire was administered to residents before and after the panel to measure changes in attitudes.
• Demographic information and short-answer responses on stigma were collected.

Main Results:

• All five subscale scores of the DAS-3 showed improvement post-panel.
• Significant improvements were observed in Patient Autonomy, Psychosocial Impact of Diabetes Mellitus, Seriousness of Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Need for Special Training, and Value of Tight Control.
• Twelve residents completed both pre- and post-panel surveys.

Conclusions:

• Contact-based education, utilizing personal narratives, is an effective strategy for reducing diabetes-related stigma in medical trainees.
• This intervention can foster more empathetic and understanding healthcare providers for patients with diabetes.