"They call us cheaters”: Exploring Stigma Management Communication Strategies During GLP-1 Medication Use

Authors

• Braidyn D. Lazenby, Florida State University
• Ashley Guidry, University of Texas at Austin
• Sarah K. Price, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow
• Md Sazzad Mahmud R. Shuvo, Florida State University
• Tursynay Alikhanova, Florida State University
• Chloe Morel Morrison, Florida State University
• Nicole Q. Davis, Florida State University
• Madison Lenard, Florida State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-18-2026

Abstract

As GLP-1 receptor agonist medications become more popular, conversations surrounding the medication’s use are becoming increasingly more complicated. Emerging research suggests that individuals taking these medications often feel stigmatized. However, understanding how individuals manage stigma through communication is less explored. Using stigma management communication theory, the current study seeks to better understand how individuals communicatively manage stigma surrounding GLP-1 medication use. A reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with GLP-1 users (n = 34) suggests that individuals evaluate their interpretations of both their own self-stigma and the public’s understanding of GLP-1 and engage in various different stigma management communication strategies in response. These strategies, while effective for stigma management, may inadvertently contribute to ongoing stigmatizing discourse surrounding GLP-1 use.

Comments

This is the author's accepted manuscript of an article originally published in Health Communication, available at https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2026.2734167