Open Search
Open Navigation

In her review of Patrick Corrigan’s edited book The Stigma of Disease and Disability: Understanding Causes and Overcoming Injustices,  Janelle Wagner discusses Corrigan’s exploration of stigma associated with  nine health conditions, including serious mental illnesses, substance-related disorders, intellectual disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities, infectious diseases, cancer, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease. The book examines societal stereotypes and discrimination against individuals with these diseases and behaviors, as well as internalized and structural stigma. Wagner highlights the chapter by Georg Schomerus that focuses the reader’s attention on “public campaigns aimed at stigmatizing behavior versus presenting behaviors as a public health concern (e.g., smoking, alcohol use).” (para. 6).

These issues lead me to ask to what extent our efforts to reduce behaviors that increase risks for disease contribute to societal and self-stigma. If public health campaigns, for example, against smoking, help to create stigma, are health professionals and researchers in a position to develop evidence-based interventions and public policies to protect and provide supportive resources to individuals who are stigmatized? Are there ways that we as psychologist can assist in the delivery of health messages without contributing to stigma?

 

Read the Review

The Enigma of Stigma
By Janelle Wagner
PsycCRITIQUES, 2014 Vol 59(13)

You might also like

Back to Blog
Learn More
Debra Kawahara

Alliant Professor Elected as New President of APA

Dr. Debra Kawahara has a vision of a kind, just, equitable, and inclusive world. The American Psychological Association (APA) has...

Learn More
Eve Walker

Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Eve Walker

Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Eve Walker California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University MA in...

Learn More
Woman talking to other people

Employee Well-Being is Driving Today’s Workplace

Dr. Kasia Fuiks, PhD shares her optimism about the future of the workplace. “What each one of us brings may be replaced with...

Request Information

  • 1
    Current Select Interests
  • 2
    Provide Information