Social stigma of diabetes in Taiwan: An analysis of public perceptions and disease name unpleasantness

Social stigma related to diabetes affects self-care and psychological well-being. In Taiwan, negative perceptions of "diabetes mellitus" may contribute to this stigma. This study explores public attitudes toward people with diabetes and the unpleasantness linked to the disease name.

A household telephone survey in Taiwan was conducted using stratified random sampling. Social distance was measured with the Diabetes Social Distance Scale, and the unpleasantness of disease names was recorded on an 11-point scale.

Among the 982 subjects recruited (mean age 54.3 years), the Taiwanese public showed a high willingness to interact with individuals with diabetes, except in marriage contexts (43.3% expressed reluctance). Compared with a report from Singapore, social distance was higher in Taiwan (mean score 12.4 vs 10.8, P < 0.001). Younger age, female gender, higher education, and northern residence correlated with lower social distance scores. Additionally, 15.2% rated "diabetes mellitus" as unpleasant, which was higher than "metabolic syndrome" (10.7%) and "hypertension" (7.3%), but lower than the former name of schizophrenia (42.1%).

While stigma toward diabetes in Taiwan is generally low, specific demographic groups may benefit from targeted education. Renaming "diabetes mellitus" may have a limited impact on reducing stigma, emphasizing the need for broader awareness efforts.