This also limits blame if the person does develop diabetes or complications eventually, despite efforts to prevent it.

There is no guarantee of prevention (disease or complications) therefore, focus on what the person can do, which is lower their risks and/or delay onset. Make it about the person with diabetes and choices, rather than making it about the provider. Give the person with diabetes credit for what they accomplished. Use words that empower people, rather than words that restrict or limit them.įacilitating identified goals and creating a plan with… They can inflict judgment, guilt, shame, and blame. Words and statements that are directives make people with diabetes feel as if they are being ordered around like children. “May I tell you what has worked for other people…” The opposite of “normal” is “abnormal” people with diabetes are not abnormal.Ĭan/can’t, should/shouldn’t, do/don’t, have to, need to, must/must not When in doubt, call someone with diabetes by their name. There is much more to a person than diabetes. Person-first language puts the person first. “Diabetic education” is incorrect (education does not have diabetes).Īvoid using a disease to describe a person. Define what “good control” means in factual terms and use that instead.įocus on the physiology or pathophysiology. Glycemic control, glucose control, poor control, good control, bad control, tight controlįocus on neutral words and physiology/biology. Focus on intent and good faith efforts, rather than on “passing” or “failing.”įocus on physiology/biology and use neutral words that don’t judge, shame, or blame.

Use words/phrases that focus on what the person is doing or doing well. “He is taking sulfonylureas, and they are not bringing his blood glucose levels down enough.”Ĭontrol is virtually impossible to achieve in a disease where the body no longer does what it is supposed to do. “She is checking blood glucose levels a few times per week.” In diabetes care and education, people make choices and perform self-care/self-management.įocus on people’s strengths-what are they doing or doing well and how can we build on that?Ĭontrolled/uncontrolled, well controlled/poorly controlled Compliance and adherence imply doing what someone else wants, i.e., taking orders about personal care as if a child. The words listed in the first column are inappropriate and dysfunctional concepts in diabetes care and education. “He eats fruits and veggies a few times per week.”

“She takes insulin whenever she can afford it.” “He takes his medication about half the time.” Language with potentially negative connotationsĬompliant/compliance, noncompliant/noncompliance,Īdherent/nonadherent, adherence/nonadherence

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