Jane Dickinson and Susan Guzman discuss the language of diabetes, and why the specific terms we use when discussing patients with diabetes, their behavior, and their problems, are so important.

In this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California about the importance of the use of language in the care of the diabetes patient.

In part 1 of this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California about the importance of language as it is used in reference to and when speaking with people with diabetes.

In part 2 of this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California about the psychology behind the words that are innocently spoken and share examples of problematic terminology.

In part 3 of this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California about the complications of changing the common language.

In part 4 of this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California about the interest in diabetes language among the diabetes community and other diabetes organizations.

In part 5, the conclusion of this Exclusive Interview, Drs. Dickinson and Guzman share the takeaway points they are looking to impart in a conversation with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA meeting in San Diego, California.

When we talk about children and young adults and type 1 diabetes, we often put most of our focus on preventing hypoglycemia. This is likely the one symptom of diabetes that keeps many patients and their parents from reaching the prescribed target. Part of this occurs because of the child’s irregular …

For years, we have pretty much put every patient with diabetes on a statin. In fact, HEDIS guidelines mandate that Medicare patients have to be on a statin in order for a plan to get a 5-star rating. But we all know the potential dangers that we expose patients to …

Received a phone call from someone I know. Has not yet come in for a visit. Just called to see if she qualified to come in for a visit. Woman, 68 years of age, denies history of diabetes, hypertension or other health problems, except being overweight. She stated, “Last year my weight was up. I went on a diet because my triglycerides were high, in the 600’s, but they came down to 140’s when I lost 30 pounds last year. I think I gained back about 10 pounds so that would be about 155 pounds now.” I asked her if she’s weighed herself. She said, no, not since I got off the program, but when I was on the program, I weighed daily. You know, I had holidays, travel, I was with a group, paid for the food, so ate what they all ate, then I just couldn’t get back on track.”