According to reports at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes, research has shown that there is little ground for workplace discrimination against people with diabetes because of hypoglycemia.

Surveying more than 240 people with insulin-treated diabetes who were employed, Scottish researchers found that severe hypoglycemia was uncommon in the workplace and, when it did occur, did not cause disruption. They also found that serious complications such as accidents or injuries associated with hypoglycemia at work were very uncommon.

Only one-third of the patients reported having any severe hypoglycemic episodes; 238 such episodes were recorded. Of these, only 15 percent occurred at work; half of them occurred during sleep. No reported traffic accidents occurred with these episodes. Only 13 percent of these people reported receiving assistance from a work colleague, and 5 percent needed medical help.

A spokesman for Diabetes UK commented that many people with diabetes have contacted the organization about the discrimination they have suffered at work, citing inflexible attitudes of employers and work practices and legislation that bar them from some activities and professions. He called this research "invaluable evidence in our fight for the rights of these people."

Related information Glucose control - Hypoglycemia

Source:  Leckie A. Discrimination at work "unfounded." Report at the 37th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Glasgow, UK, Sept. 10-13. 2001.