Stigma, Communication, and Health

Stigma processes are considered a leading barrier to health promotion, treatment, and social support for those facing health challenges (e.g., World Health Organization, 2001) and may well be the least understood (e.g., UNAIDS, 2004). Stigma has been linked to delays in seeking treatment, prolonged risk of transmission, poor treatment adherence, and increased risks of recurrence of health problems (e.g., Heijnders & Van der Meij, 2006) among other things. What is a stigma? It is a socialized, simplifi ed, standardized image of the disgrace of a particular social group (Smith, 2007a). Thus, being marked as the member of a stigmatized group does more than designate someone as diff erent (Thompson & Seibold, 1978); it denotes them as profoundly discredited, devalued, and disgraced (Goff man, 1963). The relationship between stigma, health, and communication is complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. This chapter discusses these relationships in four sections, describing toxic messages, communicative reactions, health consequences of stigma, and stigma-reduction interventions.

Cultural Competency in Health Care · Obesity and Health Practices · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education

• At the Edge? HIV Stigma and Centrality in a Community’s Social Network in Namibia

  Open Access•Rachel A Smith, Michelle Baker•AIDS and Behavior•2012

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• Communicating Social Support in Computer-mediated Contexts

  A Rain, Stephen A Rains et al.•Communication Monographs•2015

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• Advancing Research on the Spread of Stigmatizing Beliefs With Insights From Rumor Transmission

  Open Access•Xun Zhu, Rachel Smith et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•2016

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