A Victoria University researcher is conducting Australia’s first study of gay men with type 2 diabetes.
Edwin Pascoe, who is also a diabetes educator at Wyndhamvale Health Care, said he was prompted to take action when he noticed that gay men were not as engaged in their diabetes care as their heterosexual counterparts.
Mr Pascoe plans to conduct 250 online surveys and in-depth interviews to identify areas that need to be addressed when planning diabetes care for Australia’s gay community.
“Earlier data showed gay men were often recipients of homophobic attitudes by health-care professions so were less likely to seek medical advice,” he said.
“We know that when we target our care better, we have better outcomes.”
The registered nurse is conducting the study as part of his masters of education degree and aims to use the research for his PhD.
Mr Pascoe said he hoped his study would serve as a starting point to look at other groups with diabetes within the lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, intersex and queer communities.
For more information or to take part in the study, email edwin.pascoe@live.vu.edu.au
