New research calls for better support for those with Type 2 diabetes in managing their condition. The UK has been found to have the worst T2 diabetes blood glucose levels in Europe with this knowledge Sanofi has launched a new campaign 'Highs & Lows: Better Balance for a Better Future' that will help the 52% of patients with T2 diabetes that find it hard to balance their blood glucose levels or who worry or unsure of how to do so. Learning how to properly control your blood glucose level can seriously improve your health and prevent serious medical complications eg. Kidney disease, eye disease.
Highs & Lows: Better Balance for a Better Future
The research has shown that negative emotions are influencing the way in which people living with T2 diabetes manage their condition. It seems a quarter of people with T2 diabetes are fearful or anxious about having low blood glucose levels (Hypos) so despite risking life threatening conditions in the future, 42% prefer to have high blood glucose levels.
Dr Max Pemberton, GP and Psychiatrist at St Anne's Hospital, London explains: "This research shows that people with T2 diabetes are making fear-driven decisions in the 'here and now' to prevent low blood glucose levels, without considering that high blood glucose levels can have serious implications on their health in the future as well. They need more support in order to be successful at this blood sugar 'balancing act."
These negative emotions are stopping people managing their condition effectively and most of it is caused by anxiety and paranoia. Only 25% of people living with T2 diabetes tell close friends and family that they have the condition and 15% of people living with T2 diabetes go so far as to say that they believe that others around them think that they are the ones to blame and others saying (14%) they believe that people just think they are greedy. The highest number shown by this new research is that 58% fell self-conscious injecting in front of people.
Dr Pemberton, adds: "It's clear that those with T2 diabetes feel judged by a 'crowd' of people who they think blame them for having the condition in the first place. It's worrying that people feel that they have to hide their condition from others for fear of being criticised. This can lead to them not injecting on time because they wait until no one is around, or making bad food decisions during social occasions or not sticking to their meal time routine, which can have an impact on their blood sugar levels."
Dr Mike Baxter, medical therapy expert at Sanofi UK commented: "Our research shows that there is a need in the UK for better support for people with type 2 diabetes - not just in terms of the medical management of the disease, but also the emotional and psychological aspects of the condition. Almost a quarter of patients blame themselves (22%), or feel they've let themselves down (24%), if they can't or don't manage their blood sugars effectively. Instead of this feeling of blame and failure, we want to help them feel motivated to seek the help that they may need to navigate the complex blood sugar 'balancing act'. At this time, although the importance of psychological support in helping people to manage their condition is well recognised and the benefits of improved blood glucose control on reducing diabetic complications is well documented, there is a clear lack of adequate psychological support for people with diabetes. Consequently, the level of diabetic control in a large number of people with diabetes in the UK remains unacceptably high, exposing them to high risks of developing preventable diabetic complications"
The Sanofi 'Diabetes Highs and Lows: Better Balance for a Better Future' campaign aims to help people feel in control and positive about how they can balance their blood sugar levels.