THERE'S a lot of publicity around the health risks faced by people with diabetes but there is little knowledge, even among medical professions, about a factor that can severely impact the lives of people with the condition - the fear of hypoglycaemia.
Hypos, as they are generally known, are a common challenge for people managing their diabetes with insulin or other glucose-lowering medication.
They are the effect of low blood glucose levels - and the very real fear of having a hypo affects one in seven people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
In Australia there are about 1.7 million people with diabetes. A further 280 people develop diabetes every day.
People with a fear of hypos worry about:
- Losing consciousness in public
- Having an accident or injury
- Having a hypo while asleep
- Being embarrassed or attracting unwanted attention
- Needing/relying on others for help
- Losing independence or the ability to drive
- Being judged in a negative way by others
A fear of hypos becomes a serious problem when these worries impact on peoples' lives or their diabetes management.
A new resource has been developed by the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes in collaboration with Diabetes Australia to help doctors and other health professionals understand the impact of diabetes on patients' emotional well-being - and it includes a chapter on hypos.
Dr Christel Hendrieckx, a clinical psychologist with the centre for behavioural research, said the chapter Fear of Hypoglycaemia highlighted the importance of health professionals asking patients about their experiences of hypos at every consultation.
"People with diabetes want opportunities to talk about their experiences of hypoglycaemia and any related fears, but it has to be handled in a sensitive and non-judgemental way," she said.
"Often people with diabetes may be reluctant to talk about their experiences of hypoglycaemia because of concerns about losing their driver's licence or job, or the associated stigma causing feelings of embarrassment, shame or guilt.
"Many health professionals feel they do not have the appropriate training to offer support to people with diabetes who have a fear of hypoglycaemia, so the chapter in the handbook is an important new resource for them. It will help health professionals feel more confident to have conversations about these fears during consultations and discuss effective strategies to manage and prevent hypoglycaemia."
People with diabetes may also experience other types of diabetes-related fears, including fear of complications and injections/needles.
A free fact sheet about the fear of hypoglycaemia can be downloaded from www.ndss.com.au/fear-of-hypoglycaemia
Electronic copies of the Diabetes and Emotional Health handbook and toolkit for health professions are free from www.ndss.com.au/online-resources-for-health-professionals
