The aim of this study is to review the existing literature concerning what types of con-sequences stigma have for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This search yielded 404 abstracts, from PubMed and PsychNet database. The selection of relevant articles was based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, where N = 44 articles were retrieved to be read in full. This excluded N = 18 articles due to the eligibility criteria. The remaining 26 articles were all included in final integrating review.
The overall results of this review show three types of consequences 1) psychological consequences; 2) behavioral consequences; and 3) social consequences. These conse-quences are mediated by enacted- and felt stigma which then again is mediated by bi-opsychosocial mechanisms such as blame, visibility of the condition and fear. An in-crease in felt- and/or enacted stigma were associated with insulin-therapy mediated by visibility of the disease in all three types of consequences
Limitations of the reviewed literature revealed a need for exploring the long-term ef-fects of stigma on identity development in young people with T1DM in regard to im-prove mental health
Future research should focus on how to reduce the perceived and experienced stigma and urge the need for developing resilience strategies in people with DM and also in-crease knowledge regarding the condition.