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Hospital service offerings: does Catholic ownership matter?

Controlling for market and organizational characteristics, Catholic hospitals in 2001 offered more stigmatized and compassionate care services than investor-owned hospitals, and more stigmatized services than public hospitals. There were no differences between Catholic hospitals and other nonprofit hospitals, however, in the number of compassionate, stigmatized, and access services offered. This may reflect growing isomorphism in the nonprofit hospital sector.

Catholicism↗

Styles of coping with handicap in mentally retarded adults.

Based on a conceptual analysis how mentally retarded adults experience their intellectual impairment four different styles of coping with the handicap were postulated. They could be demonstrated empirically from data of a standardized interview. The groups with different styles of coping also show difference in personality traits, in their social history, the level of independence in daily living and in psychosomatic complaints. The variables "norm orientation", "stigmatization" and "attention getting behavior" were used in a prediction analysis to characterize the coping styles in the following way: (1) the positive-passive style is characterized by high norm orientation with little tendency to get attention, (2) the negative-passive style only by a high tendency to get attention, (3) the assertive style by low norm orientation together with high stigmatization and a low tendency to get attention, (4) the defensive style by low stigmatization and a low tendency to get attention. In addition to behavior-oriented intervention in rehabilitation those cognitive processes should be considered, which contribute to the development of a mentally retarded person's coping style.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Physician-patient relationship and disclosure behaviour in chronic hepatitis C in a group of German outpatients.

OBJECTIVES: In chronic hepatitis C infection, the doctor-patient relationship can be burdened for various reasons. Factors associated with the doctor-patient relationship and self-disclosure of hepatitis C virus (HCV) status have not so far been investigated systematically. The goal of the study was to examine self-disclosure of HCV positivity, perceived stigmatization, and potential predictor variables in a German outpatient group. METHODS: In a cross-sectional single-centre study, we included a volunteer sample of 103 HCV outpatients. Patient recruitment was between March 2003 and September 2004. Data were obtained from a fully standardized face-to-face interview [HCV disclosure behaviour (main interview variable), stigmatization, doctor-patient relationship] and psychometric self-assessment questionnaires [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, German version; Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (global severity index); Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (total score)]. RESULTS: The overall general disclosure rate was 44.7% (with respect to all physicians). However, 75% stated revealing their positive serostatus in future physician appointments (P < 0.05). With respect to family/friends, disclosure rates were clearly higher (permanent partner, 99%; average, 76.7%). Patients' disclosure behaviour could not be predicted by sociodemographic variables or personality factors (binary logistic regression, P > 0.05). Similarly, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Symptom Checklist-90 subscales were not substantially associated with HCV disclosure. Experiences of stigmatization (rate 38.8%) were more frequent in women (P = 0.014) and patients with higher depression scores (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for education in the field of chronic hepatitis C in order to improve the physician-patient relationship. HCV disclosure rates might thus be increased and the frequency of problematic contacts reduced. Importantly, the data show that physicians should explicitly ask for the patients' HCV status because unrequested disclosure cannot be taken for granted.

Adult↗

Stigma and mood disorders.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To update the reader on current research on stigmatizing attitudes towards people suffering from mood disorders and to describe recent interventions in this area. RECENT FINDINGS: The public generally feels their own attitudes are more favourable to people with depression than 'most other people's' attitudes are. Among those with depressive symptoms, self-stigma in relation to depression is higher than perceived stigma from others, including professionals, thus hindering help seeking. The main factor that seems to improve the attitudes towards people with any mental illness is personal contact. Moderate improvements in attitudes have been achieved with an online intervention. Caution must be taken when ensuring that improvements in knowledge about mental disorders do not lead to increased social distance. SUMMARY: There exists little research on stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mood disorders. Most of the literature on the stigma towards people with mental illness relates to people with more severe disorders such as schizophrenia. When research has been done on mood disorders, the focus has been on perceived stigma and self-stigma. No up-to-date research exists on discrimination experienced by people with mood disorders, and very little research exists on interventions designed to decrease stigmatizing attitudes towards them.

Humans↗

Management of stigma and disclosure of HIV/AIDS status in healthcare settings.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to examine the management strategies adopted by older people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) to conceal their positive status in healthcare settings, and their responses taken and means used to cope with the stigmatizing and exclusionary effects as a result of the disclosure of their status by/to healthcare workers. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Under the auspices of a local NGO in Hong Kong, a total of seven male older PHAs aged 55 or above from pre-existing HIV/AIDS self-help groups were recruited for two separate focus groups. A thematic approach was adopted for data analysis and specific themes identification. FINDINGS: An analysis of the data revealed that older PHAs did exercise their own agency in preventing against and managing stigma in their access to and use of health care services. Two more specific themes around "sign of disapproval" and "discriminatory practice" as barriers to access were also identified. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Because of the small sample size, the pattern of stigmatization experiences and coping strategies cannot claim to be representative of the complete picture of the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This is the first exploratory study of the stigmatization and devaluation suffered by older PHAs in healthcare settings in the context of Hong Kong. It also explored in details the pros and cons of the stigma management strategies employed by this vulnerable group of patients. The implications for practice both on the side of healthcare workers and policy makers and that of PHAs were discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Coping with social stigma: people with intellectual disabilities moving from institutions and family home.

BACKGROUND: Social stigma and its impact on the life opportunities and emotional well-being of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are a subject of both practical and theoretical importance. The disability movement and evolving theories of self, now point to individuals' ability to develop positive identities and to challenge stigmatizing views and social norms. METHOD: This paper presents findings from a phenomenological study of 10 individuals making the transition from their family home to live more independently and 18 individuals moving from a long-stay hospital to live in community housing. It builds on an earlier data set obtained from people living at home with their families and examines: (1) people's awareness of stigma, and (2) their modes of adaptation to stigma. RESULTS: The participants all believed that they faced stigmatized treatment and were aware of the stigma associated with ID. They presented a range of views about self in relation to disability and stigma. These views included regarding themselves as part of a minority group who reject prejudice, and attempts to distance themselves from stigmatizing services and from other individuals with IDs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are discussed in relation to theories of self and the importance of considering psychosocial factors is stressed in clinical work with people who have IDs.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Being and feeling unique: statistical deviance and psychological marginality.

Two studies tested the hypothesis that people with culturally stigmatized and concealable conditions (e.g., gays, epileptics, juvenile delinquents, and incest victims) would be more likely to feel unique than people with culturally valued or conspicuous conditions (e.g., the physically attractive, the intellectually gifted, the obese, and the facially scarred). In Study 1, culturally stigmatized individuals with concealable conditions were least likely to perceive consensus between their personal preferences and those of others. In Study 2, they were most likely to describe themselves as unique and to make these self-relevant decisions quickly. Marginality is a psychological reality, not just a statistical one, for those with stigmatized and concealable "master status" conditions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Stigma as ego depletion: how being the target of prejudice affects self-control.

This research examined whether stigma diminishes people's ability to control their behaviors. Because coping with stigma requires self-regulation, and self-regulation is a limited-capacity resource, we predicted that individuals belonging to stigmatized groups are less able to regulate their own behavior when they become conscious of their stigmatizing status or enter threatening environments. Study 1 uncovered a correlation between stigma sensitivity and self-regulation; the more Black college students were sensitive to prejudice, the less self-control they reported having. By experimentally activating stigma, Studies 2 and 3 provided causal evidence for stigma's ego-depleting qualities: When their stigma was activated, stigmatized participants (Black students and females) showed impaired self-control in two very different domains (attentional and physical self-regulation). These results suggest that (a) stigma is ego depleting and (b) coping with it can weaken the ability to control and regulate one's behaviors in domains unrelated to the stigma.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The stigma of epilepsy as a self-concept.

To study the extent to which persons with epilepsy feel stigmatized by the disorder, a sample of 445 individuals with epilepsy is analyzed. By first defining stigma in quantifiable terms and then by assessing the prevalence of stigma among the individuals studied, two alternative models that postulate the causes of stigma are investigated. The first model, a simple medical approach, assumes that because epilepsy is stigmatizing for an individual with the disorder, a direct relationship exists between the severity of the individual's seizure and the perception of stigma. The second model, a sociopsychological approach, assumes that the effects of seizure severity on the perception of stigma are mediated by other individual characteristics. The results of the study suggest, first, that persons with epilepsy do not universally feel stigmatized by the disorder. Second, by investigating the validity of these assumptions with regression and path analysis techniques, the findings support the premise of the sociopsychological model. The relationship between the severity of seizures and the perception of stigma due to the disorder is found to be highly dependent on other characteristics in the individual with epilepsy, such as the perception of employment discrimination, the perception of limitations imposed by the disorder, and the years of school attained by the individual.

Adult↗

Disclose or conceal? Strategies of information management in persons with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: When handling information about their disease in their social contacts, persons with epilepsy try to avoid or limit stigmatization. We report two basic strategies of information management: general concealment and preventive disclosure. To test whether persons with epilepsy apply a strategy of preventive disclosure, we hypothesized that they would disclose their epilepsy when anticipating that their disease would make them conspicuous in social contacts and when believing that they would be able to forestall stigmatizing attribution processes through disclosure. METHODS: One hundred nineteen outpatients at the Bethel Epilepsy Center, Bielefeld, Germany, aged 16-74 years responded to a questionnaire assessing willingness to disclose their epilepsy in various fictitious daily scenarios, the perceived risk that the interaction partner might find out about their epilepsy (risk of detection), as well as the anticipated positive and negative social consequences of disclosure in these social situations. RESULTS: Willingness to disclose varied across the different scenarios, and only a few respondents rejected disclosure categorically. Willingness to disclose depended on the subjectively perceived risk of detection and the anticipated consequences of disclosure: Respondents were more willing to disclose their epilepsy the more they feared that their interaction partner would detect their disease or find out about it in another way and the more they anticipated that disclosure would enable them to exert a favorable impact on their partner's social judgment formation. CONCLUSIONS: Many persons with epilepsy appear to apply a strategy of preventive disclosure with which they strive to influence social judgment formation in their environment by purposefully disclosing their disease to forestall possible stigmatization processes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Adolescent homosexuality and concerns regarding disclosure.

Development of sexual identity in middle childhood and early adolescence is a natural process. However, it is more stressful for homosexual adolescents. Society continues to stigmatize and marginalize homosexuality. To avoid rejection and hostility, homosexual adolescents are pressured to hide their sexual identities. This fact compounds the anticipated normal developmental concerns of adolescence, and can create unique problems for the homosexual adolescents. Homosexuality can place them at risk for social stigmatization, isolation, depression, suicide, abuse, and rejection by their families and friends. During this exceptionally stressful time, both adolescent students and their families need anticipatory guidance and support. In providing anticipatory guidance, this article discusses critical roles played by professionals who work with adolescents in community or school settings. Included are insights into development of this normal variant of sexual attraction and orientation, risks that homosexual adolescent students may face as well as their disclosure concerns, and possible reactions families may have following disclosure. Supporting homosexual adolescents and their families is emphasized with regard to sensitively providing information, disclosure decisions, coping with stigmatization, and resiliency factors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

How adolescents perceive the stigma of mental illness and alcohol abuse.

OBJECTIVES: Research among adults has yielded three sets of conclusions about the stigma of mental illness. First, people with mental illness are stigmatized more severely than those with physical health conditions; those who abuse alcohol are viewed more harshly than those with mental illness. Second, stereotypes of mental illness related to responsibility and dangerousness lead to negative emotional reactions and discriminatory behaviors. Third, familiarity with people with mental illness tends to diminish stigma. This study attempted to validate these findings with a large and diverse sample of adolescents. METHODS: A total of 303 adolescents completed a revised version of the Attribution Questionnaire (rAQ) that presented four vignettes, each describing a different type of peer: a peer with mental illness, with mental illness caused by a brain tumor, with alcohol abuse problems, and with leukemia. The rAQ comprises seven Likert scale items of agreement that research participants rated for each vignette. Items included pity, danger, fear, responsibility, anger, help, and avoidance. Participants also completed a revised Level of Contact Report to assess their familiarity with mental illness. RESULTS: As with adults, adolescents stigmatized peers who abuse alcohol most severely, followed by those with mental illness. Peers with leukemia were treated more benignly than the other groups. Having a brain tumor mediated the stigmatizing effect of mental illness. Adolescents who agreed that persons with mental illness are responsible for their illness and are dangerous demonstrated more discrimination toward these persons. However, this finding was not supported for alcohol abuse. Familiarity yielded an unexpected effect among adolescents; those who reported more familiarity with mental illness were more likely to endorse stigma of mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents tended to discriminate among conditions, viewing substance abuse more harshly than the other disorders. Blame and dangerousness were important variables leading to discrimination, and contact with persons with mental illness led to more discrimination.

Adolescent↗

The weight of obesity in evaluating others: a mere proximity effect.

Previous research demonstrates that we tend to derogate individuals who are perceived to be in a social relationship with stigmatized persons. Two experiments examined whether this phenomenon also occurs for individuals seen in the presence of an obese person and whether a social relationship is necessary for stigmatization to spread. The results from both experiments revealed that a male job applicant was rated more negatively when seen with an overweight compared to a normal weight female and that just being in the mere proximity of an overweight woman was enough to trigger stigmatization toward the male applicant. Experiment 2 examined possible moderating effects of the proximity finding. Applicants seated next to heavy (vs. average weight) individuals were denigrated consistently regardless of the perceived depth of the relationship, the participant's anti-fat attitudes or gender, and whether or not positive information was presented concerning the woman. The profound nature of the obesity stigma and implications for impression formation processes are discussed.

Adult↗

Women's experiences of stigma in relation to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are characterized by being difficult to diagnose and having an elusive etiology and no clear-cut treatment strategy. The question of whether these illnesses are stigmatizing was investigated through interviews with 25 women with these illnesses. The women experienced stigmatization primarily before receiving a diagnosis, and the diffuse symptomatology associated with the illnesses were significant for stigmatization. Stigma consisted of questioning the veracity, morality, and accuracy of patient symptom descriptions and of psychologizing symptoms. Coping with stigma was also explored and found to comprise both withdrawal and approach strategies, depending on the individual's circumstances and goals.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

AIDS-related stigma and social interaction: Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS.

People living with HIV/AIDS are stigmatized. Although personal and social consequences of this stigmatization have been documented, research regarding its impact on social interactions is scarce. Latinos, and Puerto Ricans in particular, have voiced concern regarding AIDS stigma. The authors investigated the key role of social interaction in the process of stigmatization through in-depth, semistructured interviews in a sample of 30 Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS. Participants reported instances in which AIDS stigma negatively influenced social interactions with family, friends, sexual partners, coworkers, and health professionals. Some of the consequences they described were loss of social support, persecution, isolation, job loss, and problems accessing health services. Findings support the need for interventions to address AIDS stigma and its consequences.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Pollen-stigma interactions in Brassica oleracea. II. The fate of stigma surface proteins following pollination and their rôle in the self-incompatibility response.

Mature, self-incompatible stigmas exposed to cycloheximide for 2 h prior to pollination supported identical germination and growth of both cross and self pollen. Treatment of self-pollinated pistils with cycloheximide resulted in the germination of hitherto inactive pollen after some 2-4 h. Pollen germination and initial tube growth in an in vitro germination medium were not significantly affected by cycloheximide. A continuous synthesis of stigmatic proteins is therefore essential for the operation of the self-incompatibility (S.I.) system. However, light-microscope autoradiography of stigmas fed with L-[3H]leucine prior to pollination revealed no movement of stigmatic proteins into the pollen, independent of the compatibility of the pollen with respect to the stigma. Further, tunicamycin, when applied in the same way as cycloheximide, had no effect on the S.I. system. These results are discussed in terms of the proposed cycling of proteins in the papillar cell wall and the involvement of a stigmatic glycoprotein in the S.I. response.

Brassica↗

Pollen-stigma interaction in Brassica. III. Hydration of the pollen grains.

A method is described by which the changes in shape that accompany hydration of Brassica pollen grains may be rapidly measured. Using this technique it has proved possible to chart the small amount of hydration that takes place on anthesis, in addition to the response of pollen to a range of relative humidities in vitro and in vivo. Such measurements, together with pollen transfer experiments, indicate that under normal field conditions self-pollen undergoes a brief period of hydration followed by some loss of water and that, in the course of this hydration, many pollen grains are inhibited from further growth. Raised levels of atmospheric water cause a variety of responses in self-pollen, ranging from tube growth through the pistil to the ovary, to tubes inhibited at the stigmatic surface, accompanied by the formation of callose. Surprisingly, compatible cross-pollen is also affected by high humidity, often developing extended tubes that are incapable of penetrating the stigmatic cuticle. The development of stigmatic callose is also stimulated by these tubes, as also occurs when other members of the Cruciferae are induced to germinate on Brassica stigmas by high levels of atmospheric water. This formation of callose in response to challenge by all types of pollen tube suggests models for the self-incompatibility response in Brassica that involve a direct linkage between S (incompatibility) gene products and the formation of callose may require some reexamination. Close study of the operation of the self-incompatibility system in a number of individuals has revealed all aspects of the response to be heavily dependent on the particular S genes possessed by the plant.

Brassica↗

The dynamics of stigma in leprosy.

Leprosy in Nepal is a stigmatizing disease. This paper explores the different coping strategies employed by people affected by leprosy to manage stigma. It is based on a qualitative study conducted in the eastern part of Nepal. It will show that a difference exists between experienced stigma and the anticipation of stigma. Both types of stigma result in different coping strategies. In managing stigma people go through different phases. This paper will show that stigma is a dynamic process, and I will elaborate on the concealment cycle, as developed by Hyland, to produce a more detailed understanding of the stigmatization process in Nepal. Doing so, it highlights the importance of a mutual concealment phase and the importance of triggers to exposure and discrimination. Changing from one phase to a subsequent phase in the stigmatization process is always triggered. It highlights further, that even within the same culture and even the same village, social differentiation makes a significant difference on the impact of stigma and the coping strategies employed in managing stigma. Stigma enforces already existing inequalities in social class, gender, and age.

Adaptation, Psychological↗