Campaign Overview

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) partnered with Berkeley Communications and Arlington Research to lead a global media campaign for World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2023. The theme, Take Control, Change the Outcome, encouraged people living with diabetes (PLWD) to actively manage their condition and seek strong support networks.

Research Objectives

To drive this message with authority, IDF commissioned Arlington Research to:

• Identify key fears PLWD have about diabetes-related complications.
• Highlight gaps in awareness and support.
• Understand how frequently complications are discussed and checked.

 Methodology

We designed a quantitative, online self-completion survey targeting adults living with diabetes across seven key markets: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Spain. Fieldwork was 11–23 May 2023.

Key Findings

• While most are aware of some complications, awareness gaps remain, even for serious ones like heart disease.
• Most PLWD receive information about complications at appointments, but it may lack comprehensiveness.
• Fear of complications persists despite feeling informed.
• Support is mainly from family doctors and diabetes specialists; other support channels are underutilized.
• Many believe they could have prevented complications, which may negatively impact mental health.

 Research-Driven Strategy

These findings provided media with compelling data and talking points to spark headlines globally. They also offered policymakers and healthcare practitioners new perspectives on how to better inform and support patients.

Impact

The data delivered by Arlington Research became the foundation of IDF’s most impactful WDD campaign to date. Country-specific insights offered journalists meaningful stories while empowering the IDF with evidence to influence health policy and community support practices.