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Cited by 26Mental Health Treatment and AccessHIV/AIDS Research and InterventionsObesity and Health Practices

Disease-Related Stigma, Stigmatizers, Causes, and Consequences: A Systematic Review

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Akbari, Hossein, Mohammadi, Mahla, Hosseini, Abolfazl·2023·Iranian Journal of Public Health
DOI 10.18502/ijph.v52i10.13842PMC PMC10612557
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Abstract

Background: Stigma is a sociological concept that is important in medicine and health because it threatens health as much as the disease itself. We aimed to explore the causes, stigmatizers, consequences and coping strategies related to the stigma of diseases by systematically analyzing relevant literature. Methods: This systematic review examined 65 articles on Disease-Related Stigma by searching Noormags, Magiran, SID, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. The articles were published in Persian and English between 2001 and 2022 and conducted in Iran. We used a three-step systematic review process to select articles that met the research criteria. Results: Conflict in society, lack of knowledge, specific characteristics of the disease, and the contagious nature of disease are the main causes of stigma, leading to stigmatization by different groups such as significant others, generalized others, institutional others, and macro others. Patients experiencing stigma face various psychological, physical, and social complications, and they may use concealment as a coping strategy, which can pose a potential threat to society's general health. Conclusion: By knowing the causes and stigmatizers of disease-related, it is possible to reduce stigma with less cost and time.

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Authors
Akbari, H., Mohammadi, M., & Hosseini, A.
Affiliations
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (IR)
Corresponding author
Akbari, Hossein
ORCID
Venue
Iranian Journal of Public Health
Publisher
Knowledge E DMCC
Published
2023-10-14
Volume
52
Issue
10
Pages
2042-2054
ISSN
  • 0304-4556 (ISSN-L)
  • 2251-6093
  • 2251-6085
DOI
10.18502/ijph.v52i10.13842
PMC
PMC10612557
OpenAlex
W4387654929
Cited by
26
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 2
FWCI
7.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Iranian Journal of Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
Keywords
coping strategies, concealment, lack of knowledge, stigma reduction

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