What is stigma?
Stigma is complex. Researchers, organizations, communities, and individuals all have different definitions and perspectives when it comes to stigma. One way to picture stigma is to look at the different ways it happens.
Structural stigma is the negative attitudes, beliefs, and practices that happens in systems (medical, educational, employment, etc.) that cause people to feel stigma.
Community sigma is the negative attitudes, beliefs, and practices that happens to people in their own communities.
External stigma is the negative attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are directed toward us by others.
Internalized stigma is what happens when we start to believe the negative attitudes, beliefs, and practices and it becomes part of how we see ourselves.
What is the impact of stigma?
Stigma hurts us all. It creates fear and anger and makes it more difficult to focus on the actual problem. Stigma can make people more likely to hide symptoms or illness, keep them from seeking health care immediately, and prevent individuals from adopting healthy behaviors. Stigma negatively affects the emotional, mental, and physical health of stigmatized groups and the communities they live in.
Stopping stigma is important to making all communities and community members safer and healthier and we can all play a part.
What is the difference between stigma and discrimination?
- Stigma refers to the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs
- Discrimination refers to the behaviors and actions taken because of stigma or biases
Groups who experience stigma may also experience discrimination. This discrimination can take the form of:
- Other people avoiding or rejecting them
- Getting denied healthcare, education, housing, or employment
- Verbal and psychological abuse
- Physical violence
What can we do to help prevent stigma?
Individuals can
- Offer compassionate support to those experiencing stigma
- Be kind to people in vulnerable situations
- Listen while withholding judgment
- See people for who they are
- Do your research and seek out facts
- Be mindful of language, including non-verbal communication
- Avoid hurtful labels
Communities can
- Speak out against negative behaviors and statements, including those on social media
- Choose interventions that are strengths-based vs. shame-based
- Name the stigma and offer opportunities to listen, talk and understand
- Use media channels, including news media and social media, to speak out against stereotyping groups of people who experience stigma because of a particular illness or event, like COVID-19
- Provide resources other social support services for people who have experienced stigma or discrimination
- Champion anti-stigma and discrimination policies to protect communities and populations disproportionately impacted by stigma
Public health officials can
- Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of those seeking healthcare and those who may be part of any contact investigation
- Quickly communicate the risk, or lack of risk, from contact with products, people, and places
- Correcting negative language that can cause stigma by sharing accurate information about how a particular illness (say through a virus) can spread
- Speak out against negative behaviors and statements, including those on social media
- Make sure that images used in communications and health education materials show diverse people and communities and do not reinforce stereotypes
- Create and implement anti-stigma and discrimination policies to stop and prevent stigma/discrimination from occurring