Sociology of Health: Chronic Illness and Stigma

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of epidemiological studies in chronic illness?

Focusing on the meanings individuals assign to physical symptoms

Studying populations and disease (correct)

Analyzing how individuals with chronic conditions define and manage their illnesses

Investigating the emotional implications of chronic illness

What is emphasized in the shift in chronic illness research?

The physical symptoms of chronic illness

The role of physicians in managing chronic illness

The meanings individuals assign to physical symptoms

The consequences of chronic illness for daily living and long-term physical incapacity (correct)

What is a limitation of micro-social context in understanding chronic illness?

It emphasizes the temporary nature of chronic illness

It overlooks broader contexts shaping chronic illness (correct)

It overlooks the role of emotions in chronic illness

It focuses too much on the individual's experience

What is a key aspect of Parsons' Sick Role Theory?

Emphasizing temporary exemption from responsibilities Signup and view all the answers

What is highlighted in ethnographic challenges to understanding chronic illness?

The prolonged nature of chronic illness Signup and view all the answers

What is an underinvestigated dimension in chronic illness research?

Corporeal facticity and emotions in chronic illness Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of shame and stigma in chronic illness?

To mark individuals as different and less valuable Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of social contexts and institutions in chronic illness?

They shape and are shaped by sociohistorical approaches to medicine Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of Erving Goffman's work on stigma and mental illness?

The social consequences of occupying a negatively valued status Signup and view all the answers

What was the title of Goffman's book that provided an analysis of organizations dealing with mental illness?

Asylums Signup and view all the answers

What was the main objective of Goffman's study in 'Asylums'?

To develop a sociological theory of self-structure Signup and view all the answers

What approach did Goffman use to highlight structural homologies between total institutions?

A Weberian approach Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of Goffman's analysis of the daily experiences of patients in 'Asylums'?

The system of secondary adaptations Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of Goffman's critique of long-term hospitalization for mental illness?

The recognition that patients often recovered despite the environment Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Goffman's concept of stigma?

It remains a foundational framework for understanding the social phenomenon of stigma Signup and view all the answers

Where did Goffman conduct his observations that informed his work on stigma and mental illness?

St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington DC Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Goffman's sociological theory of self?

Examining the individual's ability to distance themselves from the institution Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the public realm where individuals present their desired self-image?

Front stage Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of stigma according to Goffman's theory?

To promote social control Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'system of secondary adaptations' in Goffman's research?

A practice of inmates to obtain satisfaction while avoiding direct confrontations with staff Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a stigmatized trait on an individual's identity?

Spoils their recognition of adherence to social norms Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of social stigma?

It is a social phenomenon Signup and view all the answers

What is the context in which Goffman's theory of self is particularly relevant?

In a prison setting Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the concept of 'back stage' in Goffman's theory?

It represents the individual's true self Signup and view all the answers

What is a necessary condition for stigma to exist?

A stigmatizer and someone who is stigmatized Signup and view all the answers

According to Goffman, what type of stigma is associated with physical deformation?

Stigma associated with physical deformation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of total institutions, such as jails and P.O.W. camps?

To protect the community from intentional dangers and threats Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the phenomenon where inmates accept institutional conditions as preferable to those outside?

Colonization Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for stigma associated with physical deformities?

Abominations of the body Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a stigma that is easily perceived or already known?

Discredited Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for coping with stigma by withdrawing from society, accompanied by bitterness and sadness?

Acceptance with isolation Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for addressing a stigma to negate it, such as through treatment?

Correction Signup and view all the answers

Why does every illness stigmatize us to a greater or lesser extent?

Because illness affects our identity and social relationships Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a total institution, such as a mental hospital?

To protect the community from intentional dangers and threats Signup and view all the answers

What stereotypes may contribute to the stigma faced by women with HIV/AIDS?

Stereotypes about sexual deviance and irresponsibility Signup and view all the answers

What is a common strategy employed by individuals with HIV/AIDS to manage stigma?

Denial and concealment Signup and view all the answers

What influences public perceptions of mental illness?

Personal contacts and media representations Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome of the stigma associated with mental illness?

Limited contact and social isolation Signup and view all the answers

What strategy do ex-mental patients employ to counter stigma?

Selective concealment, therapeutic disclosure, and preventive disclosure Signup and view all the answers

What is a long-term effect of the label of ex-mental patient on individuals' lives?

Lasting effects on individuals' identities and lives Signup and view all the answers

What influences the degree of stigma associated with illness labels?

Perceived causes, symptom visibility, and prognosis Signup and view all the answers

What is a perspective of labelling theorists on the role of the stigmatized individual in managing their identity?

Emphasizing active participation in information management Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Disease vs. Illness

Disease is defined by medical criteria, such as biophysical abnormalities.
Illness refers to the subjective experience of disease, emphasizing the individual's perception of physical symptoms.

Chronic Illness Studies

Two main directions in chronic illness studies: epidemiological studies focusing on populations and disease, and analyses of illness experience focusing on individual experiences.
Focus on illness experience: analyzing how individuals with chronic conditions define and manage their illnesses, considering practical, social, and identity-related implications.

Shift in Chronic Illness Research

Focus less on physical symptoms, more on meanings individuals assign to them.
Emphasize consequences for daily living and long-term physical incapacity.

Development of Research

Emphasizes implications for self, identity, and social relations.

Overlooks broader contexts shaping chronic illness.

Parsons' Sick Role Theory

Found inadequate for understanding chronic illness experiences.
Emphasized temporary exemption from responsibilities.

Ethnographic Challenges

Highlighted patients' negotiations with physicians.
Emphasized prolonged nature of chronic illness and active role of patients.

Underinvestigated Dimensions

Corporeal facticity and emotions in chronic illness.

Importance of Emotions

Intrinsically linked to bodily experiences and influence physical and social disruption.

Role of Shame and Stigma

Mark individuals as different and less valuable.
Managed through information control and collective efforts.

Shaping and being shaped by sociohistorical approaches to medicine.
Reflect changes in medical formulations and societal responses.

Erving Goffman's Stigma

Developed fundamental concepts regarding how socially defined "difference" influences the status, roles, rewards, and penalties associated with mental illness.
Focused on the aftermath of occupying a negatively valued status, elaborating on the types, dynamics, and effects of devaluation associated with social circumstances.

Stigma

Social stigma is the extreme disapproval of an individual based on social characteristics that are perceived to distinguish them from other members of a society.
Stigma is about social control.
A corollary to this is that stigma is necessarily a social phenomenon.

Goffman's Typologies

Types of stigma:
- Stigma associated with mental illness.
- Stigma associated with physical deformation.
- Stigma attached to identification with a particular race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc.
Typologies in Asylums (1961) and Stigma (1963):
- Established for those labelled in capable and harmless (e.g., nursing homes, orphanages, poor houses).
- Established for those labelled incapables and an unintentional threat (e.g., TB sanitaria, mental hospitals).
- Established to protect the community from 'intentional' dangers and threats (e.g., jails, P.O.W. camps, concentration camps).
- Established to pursue an instrumental task (e.g., Army barracks, boarding schools, work camps).
- Established as retreats and training stations (e.g., monasteries, convents).

Coping with Stigma

Types of stigma:
- Abominations of the body (e.g., physical deformities).
- Blemishes of individual character (e.g., mental illness, alcoholism, obesity, criminality, homosexuality).
- Tribal stigma (e.g., race, religion, national identities).
Coping strategies:
- Acceptance with isolation.
- Acceptance with actions.
- Passing.
- Correction.
- Compensation.
- Hostile bravado.
- Victimhood.
- Blessing in disguise.

Stigma and Chronic Illness

Every illness stigmatizes us to a greater or lesser extent.
Strategies for managing stigma include denial, disclosure decisions, and concealment, each with its own emotional and social implications.
Disease and stigma trajectories for HIV and AIDS highlight critical points in the illness where social stigma may be experienced differently.

Mental Illness and Stigma

Stigma surrounding mental illness arises from societal attitudes and perceptions, including a belief that mentally ill individuals are embarrassing and potentially dangerous.
Surveys show that many people prefer limited contact with those displaying psychiatric symptoms, indicating prejudicial attitudes towards mental illness.
Public perceptions of mental illness are influenced by both personal contacts and media representations.
Media coverage often associates mental illness with violence, shaping public perceptions and contributing to stigma.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores the concept of chronic illness, stigma, and the difference between disease and illness. It covers the medical model and its limitations, as well as two main directions in chronic illness studies.