The fight against stigma: An overview of stigma-reduction strategies and interventions

Authors: Heijnders, Miriam; Van Der Meij, Suzanne

Source: Psychology, Health and Medicine, Volume 11, Number 3, August 2006 , pp. 353-363(11)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

In many health conditions, people are severely affected by health-related stigma and discrimination. A literature review was conducted to identify stigma-reduction strategies and interventions in the field of HIV/AIDS, mental illness, leprosy, TB and epilepsy. The review identified several levels at which interventions and strategies are being implemented. These are the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational/institutional, community and governmental/structural level. Although a lot of work has been carried out on stigma and stigma reduction, far less work has been done on assessing the effectiveness of stigma-reduction strategies. The effective strategies identified mainly concentrated on the individual and the community level. In order to reduce health-related stigma and discrimination significantly, single-level and single-target group approaches are not enough. What is required is a patient-centred approach, which starts with interventions targeting the intrapersonal level, to empower affected persons to assist in the development and implementation of stigma-reduction programmes at other levels.

Keywords: Discrimination; HIV/AIDS; interventions; leprosy; stigma; strategies; tuberculosis

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548500600595327

Affiliations: 1: Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), DEV/Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Publication date: 2006-08-01

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