مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - A SOCIO CULTURAL REFLECTION OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: STIGMA

Abstract :

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a physical disease with chronic and progressive characteristics and affects the individuals psycho-socially and socio-culturally. One of the important socio-cultural effects of COPD is stigma. Stigma -literally meaning “scar”, “mark”, “taint”, “symbol”, “disgrace”- is a term that recognizes the individuals with their distinguishing marks and distinct features. Stigma includes the behaviors and attitudes of the society; from taking a position against some patient groups due to prejudices to excluding them out of the society. Stigma has negative effects on person, family, society and members of the health team. Stigma, affecting self concept and self respect of the individual negatively, decreases their self respect. Individuals with decreased self respect feel insignificant and think as if they were useless. Emotional problems like anxiety and depression may occur with the decreased self respect. Some of the medicines used for symptoms –such as coughing, mucus and dyspnea- and for the treatments of COPD causes some changes on the physical image of the patients and thus causes them to experience stigma. In this review, the aim is to investigate stigma experienced in COPD and fight against stigma through literature support and to draw the attention of health care personnel to this issue.