The Alicante Nursing College Calls for Inclusive Work Environments for Diabetics

This Friday, 14th November, marks World Diabetes Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and the well-being of people with diabetes. Taking advantage of this commemoration, the Alicante Nursing College has used this date to call on businesses and public administrations to promote working conditions that respect the needs of people with diabetes, avoiding stigma and fostering a work culture based on health and well-being.

Furthermore, the college has highlighted the fact that the Department of Health is not currently prioritising education and good management of chronic diseases, including diabetes, in Primary Care. Instead, they are promoting the implementation of nursing intervention guidelines in acute processes (IEPA), which, as the name suggests, focus efforts on acute processes rather than on the care of people with chronic conditions like diabetes.

"If we must now focus on acute processes, many of which were previously handled by other professionals, we will be forced to dedicate less time to chronic conditions, less time for people with diabetes, which could worsen their health," explains the College.

According to data provided by the Department of Health in 2024, there are approximately 370,000 people in the Valencian Community receiving pharmacological treatment for diabetes, of which 1,021 are under 14 years old with type 1 diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is around 14% of the population, with more than 90% of cases being type 2, although specialists warn that half of those affected are unaware of their condition.

Nationally, the Spanish Diabetes Federation (FEDE) indicates that, in 2025, Spain has 5.1 million adults aged between 20 and 79 with diabetes, representing a stable prevalence of 14.1%. These figures position our country as the fifth in Europe with the highest prevalence of diabetes, behind Turkey, Russia, Germany, and Italy.

Globally, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that 589 million people live with this disease, and the number will continue to grow, especially in countries with fewer resources.