‘Discrimidating’: Uncovering the Dating Trend Affecting 1 in 3 Brits

• Broadcaster Anna Richardson and the global health tech leader, Abbott, coin new dating term, "discrimidating", to highlight how diabetes stigma can appear in the dating world
• Abbott research found that a fifth of the public admitted to knowing someone who chose not to pursue a romantic relationship because the other person had an ongoing health condition¹
• An experiment simulated in a real-world setting showed that over a quarter of men (26 percent) were less likely to consider a woman desirable if she referenced diabetes in her dating profile²
• Dating app, Thursday, has reviewed the research and shared its commitment to providing everyone with a fair chance of meeting special someone, irrespective of their health background 

LONDON, UK, 14 November, 2024 – Abbott, the global health tech leader, today unveiled new research highlighting that 32 percent¹ of Brits view people with health conditions as less attractive. The Abbott study reveals the bias faced by people living with medical conditions such as diabetes, which affects 4.4 million³ people in the UK. According to the research, 58 percent of dating app users living with a health condition say they are unlikely to disclose their health status, as 26 percent worry about being stigmatised and 25 percent are worried they will face discrimination¹.

To underscore the survey findings, Abbott created a unique social experiment to observe the behaviour of the UK’s dating community. In a real-world setting, participants were asked to use a fictitious dating app to explore their preferences when choosing between dating profiles, including those of individuals with diabetes. In the experiment, men were 26 percent less likely to consider a woman desirable when she referenced diabetes in her profile,² and 12 percent less likely to choose that woman as a potential match.² A new dating term – discrimidating – highlights this bias.

Partnering with Abbott on the campaign, broadcaster and journalist Anna Richardson, said, "I’m proud to be part of such an important campaign. With millions of people in the UK living with diabetes, it is imperative we work to reduce stigma and raise awareness about the condition."

Both studies were commissioned by Abbott, the maker of the FreeStyle Libre portfolio, the world’s leading continuous glucose sensing technology⁴, which is used by more than 6 million people living with diabetes globally⁵. The campaign is part of Abbott's wider mission to help people living with conditions like diabetes to live a life that's not defined by their condition.

Neil Harris, divisional vice president of West Europe for Abbott’s diabetes care business said, "Unfortunately, bias and prejudice against diabetes are common in our society. By calling out "discrimidating" – the act of rejecting someone for something they can’t help – we hope to make it easier for people to discuss medical conditions, raise awareness, and erase stigmatising behaviour."

Abbott has offered to share its findings with several leading dating apps and platforms in a bid to drive change and make dating more inclusive for those living with long-term health conditions, like diabetes.

George Rawlings, co-founder at dating app Thursday added, "At Thursday, our mission is to bring people together in real life, creating genuine connections beyond the superficial swipes and screens. We believe everyone deserves a fair chance at meeting that special someone, regardless of their health background. 'Discrimidating' is a real issue that unfortunately affects many, but at our events, we strive to create an environment of inclusivity where everyone feels welcomed and valued. Dating should be about connection and compatibility, not bias or assumptions. Research and initiatives like this highlight and challenge stigma, helping us make dating a more inclusive experience for all."

Additional quotes and findings from the research available on request, including access to consumer psychology expert Philip Graves who designed part of this study.

About the consumer research:

• Conducted by OnePoll from 30 September to 2 October 2024 with 1,500 UK-based participants (1,000 general adult population, 500 adults with a chronic condition).

About the real-world experiment:

• Conducted by Shift Consultancy (SRMC Ltd.) with 1,200 heterosexual participants (600 female and 600 male) from 7 October to 18 October 2024.
• In the experiment, participants were asked to try a new dating app by reviewing profiles and indicating which individuals they would be interested in dating. The people taking part were randomly assigned to one of three groups, with one profile varying across groups (all the other profiles were consistent).
• In the control group, the profile made no mention of diabetes; in the first test group, the profile mentioned diabetes but included the same interests and image as in the control; in the second test group, the profile also referenced diabetes, and a continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM) was visible in the profile picture. Subsequently, an implicit association test was conducted to evaluate the extent to which different qualities were associated with the test profile. 

About Abbott:

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.co.uk, on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Abbott Media:
Bill Ranatunga, +44 (0)7379 07 07 18
william.ranatunga@abbott.com

ADC-101934 (v2.0) 11/2024

References

¹ Consumer Research conducted by OnePoll from 30th September to 2nd October 2024 with 1,500 participants (UK: 1000 Adults general population, 500 who have a chronic condition)
² Experimental research conducted by Shift Consultancy (SRMC Ltd.) with 1,200 participants (600 female and 600 male) from 7th October to 18th October 2024.
³ Diabetes UK: How many people in the UK have diabetes? Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/about-the-charity/our-strategy/statistics?gad_source=1 (last accessed Nov 2024)
⁴ Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc. Based on the number of users worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre portfolio compared to the number of users for other leading personal use sensor-based glucose monitoring systems.
⁵ Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care.