Comparative analysis of the features of stigmatization of different social diseases

Objective. To comparatively study whether there are stigmatizing sets around HIV infection, tuberculosis, schizophrenia, and cancers in the dwellers of the Moscow Central Administrative District (CAD) and to characterize factors influencing the occurrence of these sets. Subjects and methods. Anonymous surveys were conducted using specially designed questionnaires in 725 people (55% of men and 45% of women). Each of the given questions was asked to 81 to 237 respondents. Among the survey participants, there were 64 healthcare workers: 48 physicians and 16 representatives of mid-level and junior medical staff When analyzing their replies, the respondents were divided into 2 subgroups: 1) healthcare workers; 2) representatives of the so-called general population. As an indicator of stigmatization of the study diseases, the investigators used the questions about whether the respondents perceived if they could keep the diagnoses of HIV infection, tuberculosis, schizophrenia, or cancer a secret and whether they were ready to live in the same room with people with these diseases. Results. The view of the impossibility of keeping information about disease a secret was largely determined by the perception of a risk for infection. This was also true for both HIV infection and tuberculosis. The attitude towards the infectious and non-infectious diseases kept secret was dependent on the gender of the respondents: primary attention to risks for infection was given by the men and that to the sociopsychological consequences of severe diseases by the women. Higher levels of education contributed to greater tolerance in keeping the diagnosis a secret. The question about whether the respondent could live together with a sick person revealed a low stigmatization of cancer patients and a high one of those with schizophrenia and tuberculosis. HIV infection was intermediate in this indicator, by provoking the most polarized opinions. Both subgroups showed similar trends; however, the magnitude of stigmatization was lower in the medics. The old age groups tended to be greater tolerant towards HIV-infected and schizophrenic patients. Conclusion. The results of the investigation suggest the obvious stigmatization of patients with tuberculosis, HIV infection, and schizophrenia and the minimal stigmatization of those with cancer among the dwellers of the Moscow CAD. The higher educational level and old age of the respondents promoted greater tolerance towards people having the above-mentioned diagnoses.

sigma, HIV infection, tuberculosis, schizophrenia, cancer