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Addressing Disease-Related Stigma During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2019

Leah S. Fischer ,
Gordon Mansergh ,
Jonathan Lynch  and
Scott Santibanez
Leah S. Fischer*
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Atlanta, GA
Gordon Mansergh
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Jonathan Lynch
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Emergency Operations, Atlanta, GA
Scott Santibanez
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Atlanta, GA
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Leah Fischer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-C18, Atlanta, GA 30333 (e-mail: LSFischer@cdc.gov).
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Abstract

Outbreaks of emerging infectious disease are a constant threat. In the last 10 years, there have been outbreaks of 2009 influenza A (H1N1), Ebola virus disease, and Zika virus. Stigma associated with infectious disease can be a barrier to adopting healthy behaviors, leading to more severe health problems, ongoing disease transmission, and difficulty controlling infectious disease outbreaks. Much has been learned about infectious disease and stigma in the context of nearly 4 decades of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic. In this paper, we define stigma, discuss its relevance to infectious disease outbreaks, including how individuals and communities can be affected. Adapting lessons learned from the rich literature on HIV-related stigma, we propose a strategy for reducing stigma during infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola virus disease and Zika virus. The implementation of brief, practical strategies such as the ones proposed here might help reduce stigma and facilitate more effective control of emerging infectious diseases.

Keywords

infectious diseasepublic health responsestigma
Type
Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 5-6 , December 2019 , pp. 989 - 994
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

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