Diabetes advocacy in the Asia-Pacific region

Living with diabetes is challenging. From diagnosis, one has to deal with lifelong management of glycemia and other factors. Misunderstandings about diabetes persist. People with diabetes (PWD) are sometimes misperceived as having brought diabetes upon themself, being incapable of self-management, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, or appropriate dietary habits, among other negative attributes. As a result, PWD can face difficulties at school, at home, in the workplace, and in the community. PWD also face financial burden with medical costs, health insurance, and loans. There has been growing awareness of diabetes-related stigma, highlighting the prevalence and consequences of biased, one-sided, and inaccurate information. Stigma can negatively affect the self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-care of PWD, and adversely affect their clinical outcomes. Therefore, advocacy to reduce the burden is essential. The situation varies within and between countries. There are still countries with limited access to insulin, more powerful glucose-lowering, cardio- and reno-protective drugs for type 2 diabetes, glucose monitoring strips, let alone technologies including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and insulin pumps. As members of the Asia-Pacific region, we strive to improve the quality of life for PWD within our countries and to enhance the global advocacy movement to achieve sustainable health equity worldwide. Herein, we share information from some Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, China, Korea, Indonesia, and Japan, including some aspects of the advocacy movement in each country. Through mutual understanding and collaboration, we aim to strengthen advocacy efforts across the Asia-Pacific region and contribute to global initiatives that enhance health outcomes for PWD.