Join Diabetes Center Berne (DCB) and its partners as we conduct studies on sex/gender diversity and type 1 diabetes, uncovering hormonal effects on diabetes management and how people living with diabetes deal with it in their self-management.
Living with Type 1 Diabetes Can Feel Like Playing Roulette
Hormonal changes can greatly affect insulin sensitivity and needs, yet current research scarcely investigates the effects of sexual diversity on diabetes management. Not knowing the influences these changes can have, people living with diabetes can struggle with self-management during certain phases of life, leading to lower Time in Range (TIR) and higher HbA1c.
Current technologies like automated insulin delivery and continuous glucose monitoring systems often overlook hormonal fluctuations across life stages, perpetuating inequities. Addressing these gaps requires multidisciplinary collaboration to promote inclusive research and integrate it into regulatory frameworks. This approach ensures personalised, equitable diabetes treatment for all individuals.
Major Scientific Contributions on Gender and Sexual Diversity in Type 1 Diabetes
We are committed to advancing research that acknowledges and explores the impact of gender and sexual diversity on Type 1 diabetes management and outcomes. To support this, we have curated a collection of major scientific works that delve into these critical topics. Each study offers valuable insights into how gender and sex differences can influence various aspects of Type 1 diabetes, from physiological responses to treatment efficacy and the psychosocial factors that affect diabetes management.
Here, you’ll find abstracts of these key studies, along with direct links to their full texts on PubMed. These studies represent significant strides in understanding the complex interplay between gender, sexuality, and Type 1 Diabetes. We encourage researchers, clinicians, and anyone interested in this vital area of study to explore these resources further and consider how these findings can inform more inclusive and effective diabetes care practices:
Questionnaires related to Sexual Diversity
The neglect of gender and sex diversity in diabetes technology and management research has been a significant oversight, limiting our understanding of how different populations may experience and respond to interventions. Historically, much of the research in this field has been conducted without adequately considering the distinct physiological, hormonal, and social factors that can influence diabetes outcomes differently for men, women, and non-binary individuals. This lack of diversity in research leads to generalized findings that may not apply universally, potentially compromising the effectiveness of diabetes care for many.
However, there is a growing body of important research that recognizes and addresses these differences, setting a new standard for inclusive studies. For example, studies that examine how hormonal fluctuations impact glucose levels in women with diabetes have provided critical insights that could lead to more personalized treatment plans. Similarly, research exploring how gendered social roles and stressors influence diabetes management behaviors has opened the door to more effective interventions that consider the lived experiences of all individuals, regardless of gender.
These pioneering studies highlight the importance of collecting and analyzing gender- and sex-specific data to truly understand the nuances of diabetes management across diverse populations. By following the lead of these exemplary research efforts, future studies can ensure their findings are relevant and beneficial to everyone. Only by embracing this diversity can we put research results in the proper perspective, ultimately leading to more equitable and effective diabetes care for all.
We suggest the following questionnaires to be used to assess gender and sex-specific aspects:
If you have another quesionnaire you would like to suggest to others, we are happy to convert it into a REDCap codebook and publish it here!
About this Initiative
Together, we aim to foster collaboration on the topics of sexual diversity and diabetes. We want to raise awareness about these issues and the impacts they have on the life of people with diabetes. Our goal is to gather and share research results, foster further translational research, develop guidelines and collect tools for this field.
We are looking to build an interdisciplinary network of people living with diabetes, healthcare professionals, researchers, innovators and all others in the diabetes field who are passionate about making this topic more relavant.
DCB Research AG
Freiburgstrasse 3
3010 Bern
Switzerland