Category Archives: diabetes-related language

Focusing on success in diabetes

Posted on July 16, 2018 by janekdickinson

Uncontrolled, poor control, poorly controlled, bad control, and even their counterparts good control, well controlled, and so on. These words, along with compliance and adherence, comprise the language of judgment, shame, blame, and guilt in diabetes. They focus on failure. … Continue reading →

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Adapting failure in a success-oriented approach

Posted on July 9, 2018 by janekdickinson

I am still thinking about what I heard about health care being a “failure-based system,” and I can’t helping insisting that it’s possible to adapt that failure mindset into a success mindset. What would a success-oriented approach or system look like? … Continue reading →

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Diabetes in a failure-based system

Posted on July 2, 2018 by janekdickinson

“Health care is a failure-based system,” is what an MD said to me recently. I can think of many ways we are working with/in a failure-based system. The language is just one. The judgment, shame, blame, and guilt that run … Continue reading →

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diabetis vs. diabeteez

Posted on April 19, 2018 by janekdickinson

From time to time I hear complaints about the way some people pronounce diabetes. They seem to really hate hearing “diabetis” instead of “diabeteez.” For me, hearing “diabetis” actually takes me back to my childhood. When I was first diagnosed … Continue reading →

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Improving communication for the right reasons

Posted on April 11, 2018 by janekdickinson

One really can’t avoid articles about communication in health care these days. Patient-provider communication, provider-provider communication, it’s all over the place. Communication has always been key; we just seem to be catching on finally. There are still some gaps, though. … Continue reading →

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The Gift of Agency

Posted on April 3, 2018 by janekdickinson

Have you heard of agency? I’m not talking about an organization or office. I’m hearing and reading agency, meaning the ability to act, more and more. I think of agency as feeling in control. One place it came up recently was in the … Continue reading →

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I “hope,” not “suffer”

Posted on April 2, 2018 by janekdickinson

I’ve often told the story of the health care provider who asked me how long I had suffered from diabetes. I told her (at the time – this was about 22 years ago), “I’ve had diabetes for 20 years, but … Continue reading →

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Words Matter: The Language of Diabetes

Posted on October 17, 2017 by janekdickinson

The language people use to discuss and write about diabetes and the people who live with it has long been questioned. Becoming aware of and changing the language and messaging related to health is not unique to diabetes. In fact, … Continue reading →

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Serving, not pleasing

Posted on September 19, 2017 by janekdickinson

“…more often than not, trying to please everyone a little is a great way to please most people not at all.” Seth Godin I’ve been told that serving is more important than pleasing, and I wholeheartedly agree. Last week I … Continue reading →

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Autism Speaks in Person-Centered Language

Posted on September 5, 2017 by janekdickinson

Did you see 60 Minutes last night? They did a very informative segment on autism, in which they used only person-centered language. I heard only kids with autism, people with autism, kids without autism, and when someone has autism. I … Continue reading →

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