The UK results of Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs 2 (DAWN2™) have been announced. It is the largest global study of its kind, conducted across 17 countries and four continents, into the psychosocial aspects of the management of diabetes, with 903 UK participants.
The study surveyed 122 family members, 500 people with diabetes and 281 healthcare professionals (nurses, dieticians, general practitioners and specialists) to find new ways of reducing the burden of the condition. The results confirm that the physical, financial and emotional burden of diabetes is carried by the entire family, not just by the person with diabetes.
“The study highlights the impact that diabetes can have, not only on those living with the disease, but also their family members,” says Dr Katharine Barnard, a chartered health psychologist who specialises in the psychosocial impact and management of diabetes.
“With 2.9 million people estimated to be living with diabetes in the UK, and this figure expected to rise to 5 million by 2025, this represents a significant number of families affected,” she added.
The initial UK results show that:
- 54% of family members are anxious about the possibility that the person they live with will develop serious complications from the condition.
- 70% of family members of insulin-treated people with diabetes fear that their loved one will become hypoglycaemic during the night.
- 25% of family members report a negative financial impact on themselves due to the diabetes of their loved one.
- 19% of family members experience that their loved one is being discriminated against because of diabetes and that the community they live in is intolerant of diabetes.
- 21% of people with diabetes report their family argues with them about how they manage their diabetes.
- 79% of family members have not attended an education programme about diabetes.
“As a healthcare professional it is important to prioritise the needs of your patients but also to understand the concerns of those close to them. These results highlight that family members are often left worried and uncertain about the implications of diabetes. This should encourage healthcare professionals to consider not only their diabetes patients but also their loved ones who may also be affected,” says Dr Neil Munro, Associate Specialist in Diabetes at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
DAWN2™ is a global Novo Nordisk initiative conducted in collaboration with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the International Alliance of Patient Organisations (IAPO), the Steno Diabetes Center and a range of other national, regional and global partners.
