Diabetes Identity: A Mechanism of Social Change

Abstract

Historically, diabetes identity has been examined at the individual level as it relates to clinical outcomes and self-management practices. Yet, identity is not experienced as an individually isolated phenomenon. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) examine the social meaning of diabetes identity and (b) formulate a theoretical model of diabetes identity through a sociopolitical lens. Adults living with diabetes engaged in a diabetes online community ( N = 20) participated in a 60-minute semi-structured interview focused on social diabetes experiences and diabetes identity. Seven themes emerged related to illness, individuation, and culture, resulting in a novel theoretical model of diabetes identity: willingness to identify, tales of the un-sick, legends of the responsible, a tradition of change-making, sense of sameness, mystification of difference, and diabetes as a unifying social category. Our study extends previous literature focused on self-management practices and compliance, resulting in a theoretical model of diabetes identity centered around social change.