Diabetes Awareness Month: The Plight of the Diabetic

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and while healthcare marketing professionals like us think about patients with this disease year round, we think it is extremely beneficial to have outreach like this that allows for greater saturation of the facts and symptoms.

Diabetes is a disease that is known about, but not truly feared the way it should be. At present, more than 8% of the United States population has diabetes, which equals out to be nearly 26 million people. 10.9 million of them are over 65 years old. While this number is a bit staggering, what is more shocking is that 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes, meaning they are at severe risk of becoming a diabetic.

Earlier this year, we published Part 1 and Part 2 of a series on Understanding the Chronic Disease Sufferer Mindset. We wanted to share some excerpts from those posts and ask you to keep them in mind throughout the month to better understand how some diabetics can feel at their worst:

“Among all the types of customer / patients that exist in the healthcare marketing world, perhaps the most difficult demographic to market products and services to are those who suffer from chronic diseases. Being diagnosed with a disease that may never be cured can be a life altering event for anyone, and those that suffer from ailments can act and react differently…”

“Chronic disease, unlike other disease states, brings with it a myriad of feelings, reactions and concerns, all of which contribute to the emotional tipping points that can lead toward or away from successful treatment outcomes…”

“Imagine knowing you will have a certain condition, such as diabetes, for the rest of your life. Knowing there is no cure. Knowing you may experience all manner of opportunistic infections or complications. It’s no wonder many chronic disease sufferers go into denial and other, more dangerous reactions.”

“What may be missing from their care, from a variety of support provider’s touch points, is the understanding of these tipping points and how they can be addressed for the betterment of patient compliance and engagement:

1. Are they depressed?
2. Do they feel their disease is “no big deal?”
3. Do they suffer from feelings of inevitability?
4. Are they skeptical about their treatment success?
5. Do they have unrealistic plans for action?
6. Is poor social support an issue?
7. Is their environment conducive to a positive approach to their disease?

These are just some thoughts to keep in mind, and throughout the month, we will be sharing additional  thoughts on diabetes and the people it affects (patients and loved ones of patients) on our Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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Direct Choice Inc. is a full-service direct marketing agency that has worked with national and regional brands in a wide variety of vertical markets. In addition to this blog, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.