What is known about this topic• Recent studies reported that persons living with diabetes (PWD) experience stigma (discrimination and stereotypes) due to their health condition.• Surveys suggest that PWD affected by discrimination report lower scores of well-being, experience higher levels of distress and score lower in quality of life. What this paper adds• This study establishes experienced and perceived stigma of PWD living in Switzerland and thus, provides an insight into the situations in which PWD feel discriminated against and the perceived stereotypes.• Findings suggests that stigma impacts the quality of life of those PWD affected -mediated by psychological distress and depressive symptoms.• The paper gives insight into the important role of perceived stigma in this dynamic. AbstractThere is a growing body of scientific evidence that stigma represents a reality for many people living with diabetes (PWD). However, little is known about the impact of experienced stigma. Against this background, the present study aimed to establish, by means of an in-depth consideration of the situation in Switzerland, whether and how experienced and perceived stigma impact the quality of life of those PWD affected. In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) was used for data collection. The SAQ drew on a qualitative elicitation study and was distributed in 2013 to the readers of a Swiss journal destined to people living with diabetes. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling. The sample included 3347 people (response rate of 16%) with type 1 and 2 diabetes, aged 16-96. Respondents who reported higher levels of perceived stigma reported higher levels of psychological distress (b = 0.37), more pronounced depressive symptoms (b = 0.33) and less social support (b = À0.22). Higher psychological distress (b = À0.29) and more pronounced depressive symptoms (b = À0.28), in turn, predicted lower quality of life. Findings suggest that stigma should be considered as an additional predictor of quality of life in PWD. Therefore, healthcare providers should support PWD's fight against stigma. Especially, social workers are called to engage in advocacy to reduce discrimination against PWD and claim equal chances for them. They are also called to develop and implement interventions to correct stereotypes about PWD.

Bartelsen-Raemy (2018) Exploring social work students' attitudes toward research courses: predictors of interest in research-related courses among first year students enrolled in a bachelor's programme in

Social work programmes are expected to enable students to work adequately with sexual minorities. In Switzerland, however, curricular content on sexual minorities is lacking in BSW programmes. Potential sexual prejudice is not explicitly addressed. This study aimed to assess the attitudes towards lesbian women and gay men amongst students entering the BSW programme of a university in Switzerland to establish a basis for discussing curriculum development. Students entering the programme from 2015 through 2018 were surveyed using an online questionnaire. Heterosexist attitudes were captured using the ‘Multidimensional Scale of Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men’. The responding 955 entering students reported positive attitudes towards lesbians and gay men and evidenced low levels of heterosexist views. However, only 4.3 per cent of the respondents consistently disagreed with all items expressing heterosexist views, whilst 43.3 per cent completely agreed with at least one item. The views expressed by male participants expressed significantly higher levels of heterosexism than did those of female participants. The findings evidence uncertainties and a lack of reflection on unquestioned but heteronormative views. This reflects a need to infuse BSW programmes with sexual minority content, to provide opportunities for critical reflection and to address heteronormative and heterosexist views.

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Experienced and perceived stigma of people living with Diabetes Mellitus in SwitzerlandAbstract Despite the prevailing perception that diabetes mellitus is not a stigmatized condition, there is growing evidence of stigma. However, there have been no in-depth studies of stigma towards people living with diabetes (PWD). In order to complement the respective knowledge base of social workers and other health-allied professions, the present study aimed to establish whether PWD in Switzerland experience stigma, and if so, in what context and to what extent. The findings suggest that social work interventions should consider stigma explicitly and include designing strategies to reduce discrimination against PWD, and correct stereotypes about it.