Relationship between patient activation, experienced stigma, and internalised weight stigma in people with type 2...

Patient activation is associated with disease self-management; limited research has examined the role of perceived stigmatisation in this relationship. We explored links between diabetes and weight stigma, internalised weight stigma, and patient activation among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

This observational, survey-based study was conducted among 857 US adults with T2D. Mean scores were reported for participant-reported outcome (PRO) measures, including first use in research of the Influence and Motivation for Patient Activation in Diabetes Care Measure (IMPACT-D™), Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ), Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-2), Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ), and questions about perceived weight stigma and discrimination. Additional subgroup analyses were based on total PRO scores.

Participants with lower degrees of activation (lower IMPACT-D™ scores) experienced greater self-stigma (WSSQ scores) compared with those with higher degrees of activation. People with high weight-related self-stigma (WSSQ scores) experienced more self-stigma (high Brief-IPQ, DSAS-2 scores), lower activation, and poorer glycaemic self-management (lower IMPACT-D™, DSMQ scores) than people with less self-stigma. Higher degrees of self-stigma (high WSSQ and DSAS-2 scores) were reported among people who faced weight-related stigma compared with those who did not.

Greater degrees of self-stigma were associated with lower degrees of participant activation and poorer glycaemic self-management. The exploratory findings indicate the need for increased efforts to reduce stigma, identify, and provide appropriate support and encouragement to participants with lower activation.