Anna Richardson highlighting World Diabetes Day

Dating is challenging enough, but for those living with chronic illnesses or health conditions, it can often be complicated by stigma and misunderstanding. New research from Abbott highlights this issue: nearly 28% of people would hesitate to date someone with a chronic condition, and 18% know someone who’s been rejected for the same reason. This can leave individuals feeling defined by their health rather than seen as people with unique qualities, interests, and ambitions.

Privacy concerns also play a significant role. Many avoid sharing health details on dating profiles (29%) or social media (47%), with 66% and 79% respectively saying it’s “no one’s business.”^. Understandably, people want to be seen for more than their health status, but they often fear being misunderstood. These concerns aren’t unfounded—10% report that partners have minimised their health issues, and 7% have faced outright refusals from partners to make even small adjustments.

To support the initial research, Abbott put this bias to the test through a unique social experiment to observe the UK’s dating community. Participants were asked to use a fictitious dating app to explore how people responded to a potential partner disclosing a condition like diabetes. The results suggested a bias does exist within the heterosexual dating community: 26% of men were less likely to consider a woman desirable when her profile mentioned diabetes, and men were 12% less likely to choose to match with a woman referencing diabetes in her profile.

Aston spoke to TV presenter and broadcaster Anna Richardson.