The magazine I work for is not for health-care professionals. It’s not even close to being something read by health-care professionals. Yet the audience deals with health-care and insurance issues on a regular basis. So for me to read and edit a story about wellness or diseases is not uncommon.
I have become quite defensive of the truths about diabetes and of making sure people understand the differences between type 1 and type 2. As someone who was originally diagnosed with type 2 and who lived with that label for three years I know the blame that can be placed on the victim.
So as I was proofing another health-care story for our December issue I was stopped in my tracks by a sentence that so blatently blamed the victim that I couldn’t get passed it. I couldn’t really put my finger on what was wrong with this sentence, but I knew it had to change. I couldn’t figure out if a distinction between types was needed or if it was something more.
As I read it over and over I realized that the author had a preconceived notion that all people with diabetes are to blame for their conditions. Particularly those with type 2, though I’m sure the author wasn’t aware of the difference.
I continue to remind myself that I’m not overreacting or being overly sensitive when I read things like this. I continue to ask myself if I’m this sensitive when I read about other diseases and chronic illnesses. And then continue to tell myself that there is no other chronic disease that blames the victim.
The change is subtle, but if changes like this continue to be made, if people who don’t know the difference continue to read and hear talk about diabetes that does not place blame on the victim then perhaps the tide will slowly turn. But I’m not holding my breath.
Here's what I did:
from:
Many patients cannot manage their disease through diet and lifestyle changes alone. Medication therefore is essential for preventing serious complications caused by poorly managed diabetes.
to:
Often, diabetes cannot be managed through diet and lifestyle changes alone. Medication therefore is essential for preventing complications.
Yeah, it needed to be changed. No need to blame the doctors across the board either. Sometimes, it's just a bad disease even when managed optimally.
[I don't mean to minimize the improvements that CAN be gained through conscientious diet, exercise, and medication.]
Another editing option:
"Often, diabetes cannot be managed through diet and lifestyle changes alone. Medication in these cases is essential for preventing complications."
-Steve
-http://diabeticmediterraneandiet.com
thanks, it seems this blame game is getting worse rather than better as time goes on and the "epidemic" spreads.
Mmm.... I'm thinking all aspects of "metabolic syndrome" (obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high LDL/triglycerides, low HDL), insulin resistance/T2DM) are considered to be the patient's fault. Basically, if your BMI is over 22 and/or your percentage of body fat is over 18% (24% for women), any metabolic issue is considered to be your fault.
There are some schools of thought that suggest that insulin resistance causes the obesity and dyslipidemia often seen in T2DM/Metabolic Syndrome.
Thank goodness for editors. Good change! All my good intentions, missed desserts, salads eaten, and no alcohol still didn't ward off this inherited, dreaded disease. All those good intentions did was delay the onset. I knew 38 years ago, the day they told me I had gestational diabetes, it was only a matter of time before the real thing hit. I held it back with those good intentions longer than my mother or my sister, but still it struck me lightening. Keep editing. Sharon