AIDS-related stigma can cause delays in testing, poor treatment adherence, and greater numbers of new infections. Existing studies from low- and middle-income countries focus on the negative experiences of stigma, and few document resistance strategies. In this article we document the diverse journeys of people living with HIV in South Africa, through ill health, testing, disclosure, and treatm...

We provide a theoretical foundation for analyzing how social stigma and adopted behavioral traits affect the transmission of HIV across a population. We combine an evolutionary game-theoretic model—based on a relationship signaling stage game— with the SIR (susceptible-infected-recovered) model of disease transmission. Our evolutionary model specifies how two types of social stigma—that which a...

RATIONALE Transgender people in the United States experience widespread prejudice, discrimination, violence, and other forms of stigma. OBJECTIVE This critical review aims to integrate the literature on stigma towards transgender people in the U.S. RESULTS This review demonstrates that transgender stigma limits opportunities and access to resources in a number of critical domains (e.g., emp...

Obese individuals experience pervasive stigmatization. Interventions attempting to reduce obesity stigma by targeting its origins have yielded mixed results. This randomized, controlled study examined the effectiveness of two interventions to reduce obesity stigma: cognitive dissonance and social consensus. Participants were college undergraduate students (N = 64, 78% women, mean age = 21.2 yea...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to test the psychological and behavioural patterns of stigma (self-esteem and social participation) and their relationship to self-stigma, patient activation for engaging in self-care and glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DESIGN A cross-sectional study. SETTING 2 tertiary-level hospitals and 2 secondary-level hospital...

Oft-cited as a deterrent to elimination of the disease, stigma is still a critical feature of the leprosy landscape leading to ostracism, loss of employment, loss of housing, ridicule and rejection from society. The reason for leprosy-stigma rests historically and culturally on the mythology about the disease's origin and transmission, and its aesthetic features such as the enigmatic physical d...

Some previous studies have revealed a negative impact of enacted stigma on post-traumatic growth (PTG) of children affected by HIV/AIDS, but little is known about protective psychological factors that can mitigate the effect of enacted stigma on children's PTG. This study aims to examine the mediating effects of perceived social support, hopefulness, and emotional regulation on the relationship...

The relationship between social class and mental illness stigma has received little attention in recent years. At the same time, the concept of mental health literacy has become an increasingly popular way of framing knowledge and understanding of mental health issues. British Social Attitudes survey data present an opportunity to unpack the relationships between these concepts and social class...

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a common, chronic skin disease that causes challenges such as stigma and labeling from both the community and individuals due to its effects on appearance. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to describe and explain the social stigma and rejection experienced by patients with psoriasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS The present research is a qualitative study with a he...

BACKGROUND Stigma refers to the undesirable characteristics linked to mental illness and the adverse cognitive and behavioral consequences. Stigma causes a spiral of alienation and discrimination, leading to social isolation that diminishes chances for recovery. There is a great need for antistigma programs in order to decrease stigma related to persons with mental health problems. The antistig...