How Emotional Support Needs Differ For Men And Women

Gender refers to the socially constructed beliefs, expression and identities that we have about ourselves and others. Gender can be considered along a spectrum as opposed to a binary. With this article, we will focus on individuals who identify their gender as “male” and “female.” Wherever one identifies on the gender spectrum, it is well documented that diabetes comes with a lot of emotional impact. However, depending on our gender identity, we may be more likely to experience specific challenges.

Challenges women experience with diabetes

Women tend to experience higher levels of diabetes distress, compared with men. Research indicates that women may also have a more difficult time interacting with the healthcare system, likely due to poor communication skills on behalf of their healthcare providers. It has been found that the social roles thrust upon women, such as the expectation of caregiving for family members, can also lead to poorer diabetes self-management and diabetes control.

In addition, women are more likely to experience diabulimia (the purposeful mismanagement of insulin in an effort to control weight and body shape) compared with men, which can lead to increased diabetes complications.

Challenges men experience with diabetes

In contrast to their female counterparts, men tend to be highly avoidant with regards to speaking with their healthcare providers regarding their diabetes, and troublingly, this becomes more common when blood sugar is not managed well. Research has also found that men tend to have fewer tools they use to cope with distress associated with diabetes.

Additionally, research indicates that men may not understand the impact of diabetes-related complications to the same extent that women do, which can have its own consequences. Men also tend to be more highly reliant on their partners for support regarding diabetes management.