Challenge Stigma Research Articles

The Lived Experiences of Ugandan Community Health Workers Engaged in Prevention of Vertical Transmission of HIV and a Capacity-Building Intervention.

To explore the lived experiences of community health workers (CHW) engaged in efforts toward the elimination of vertical transmission (EVT) of HIV and to assess the impact of a capacity-building training intervention. The study consisted of (1) a qualitative assessment of lived experiences of CHWs; (2) a capacity-building training intervention responsive to identified needs; and (3) assessment of the training intervention using pre- and postintervention questionnaires. Focus group discussions and semistructured key informant interviews in addition to CHW training sessions for HIV/EVT were held in 1 rural and 1 semiurban setting in Uganda, based on training materials developed by the World Health Organization and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). We used standardized pre- and postintervention questionnaires to assess comprehensive knowledge and accepting attitudes toward HIV. Qualitative exploration of the lived experience of 152 CHWs in 10 focus group discussions and 4 key informant interviews revealed several themes: (1) CHWs as bridges between health system and community; (2) CHW assets (tacit knowledge and shared social networks); (3) CHW challenges (stigma, secrecy, and ethical quandaries); (4) favorable community reception; and (5) need for continuing education and reinforcement of skills. In response to identified needs, a capacity-building intervention was designed and implemented with 143 CHWs participating in 10 sessions. The proportion of participants with comprehensive knowledge of HIV increased from 45% to 61% ( P = 0.006), and the proportion endorsing accepting attitudes increased from 63% to 76% ( P = 0.013). CHWs are potentially valuable players in global EVT efforts. Ongoing training is needed to support community-level initiatives.

Challenging aged care stigma through communication: discursive responses to stigmatising discourses about aged care work and implications for workers’ mental health

Occupational stigma can negatively impact aged care workers’ (ACWs) mental health. This mixed-methods study investigates whether ACWs who challenge stigmatising discourses, through communication, experience reduced psychological costs of aged care stigma. We screened 184 ACWs’ discursive responses and tested for differences in ACWs’ mental health between those who challenge stigma and those who do not. A discourse approach was further employed to examine recurring language patterns in ‘challenge’ discursive responses. ACWs (n = 95) who discursively challenged stigmatising discourses reported lower internalised occupational stigma and psychological distress than those who did not challenge stigma (n = 89). These workers chose to infuse positive value into negative evaluations about ACWs and aged care work. Overall, findings suggest that ACWs may spontaneously challenge occupational stigma, through their discursive responses, which may proactively protect their mental health. We offer practical implications for challenging stigma, including developing guidelines, training, and language-based interventions.

Calling in: Mental health in management education and academia

In celebration of the 55th anniversary of Management Learning , we critically examine the journal’s role in fostering discourse at the intersection of management education and mental health. By tracing the historical engagement with mental health in the journal, we reveal gaps and opportunities for further exploration while recognizing the previous efforts that have been made by fellow researchers . Our hope is to catalyze this conversation in order to challenge stigma while emphasizing innovative approaches to enhance learning environments that support mental health of both educators and students.

Challenging stigma and attitudes towards ECT via an educational video

Challenging stigma and attitudes towards ECT via an educational video

Designing for mental health in higher education: a collaborative approach to digital interventions

ABSTRACT Mental health concerns significantly impact one-third of university students, with digital tools increasingly recognised as potential support for prevention and treatment. However, few studies adequately address the transition from research to practical application in mental health-related interventions, integrating multidisciplinary design methodologies and understanding students' sociocultural contexts within real-world healthcare environments. Here we present the outcomes of a process of co-design and validation of a digital mental health intervention in a university setting. We draw on findings from (1) design cycles and (2) validation workshops of a digital intervention to identify preferences of engagement and ethical responsibility for real-world applicability. Our findings emphasise the importance of involving end-users and clinicians throughout the process to improve existing support systems for students' well-being, challenge stigma, and promote context-sensitive mental health care in academia. This approach highlights the importance of designing digital mental health interventions that are both ethical and inclusive, thereby enhancing individual, community, and institutional resilience. We build on prior research by proposing design opportunities to enhance receptivity to digital interventions in university settings, contributing to responsible innovation in this field.

Mpox in the news: social representations, identity, stigma and coping

In May 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to recede from public view, another infectious disease surprised the world—mpox (formerly monkeypox). It appeared to disproportionately affect gay, bisexual and other...

Creating dementia-friendly communities: Challenging stigma and building understanding through public education

ABSTRACT Stigma is a well-documented barrier to community and social engagement for people living with dementia. Awareness raising and public education have been identified as essential for developing communities that are supportive of people living with dementia and enable their social inclusion. A public dementia education program, co-designed and delivered by people living with dementia and targeted to people working in public-facing service roles, was developed to increase awareness of dementia and challenge stigma. This quality improvement study evaluates this dementia-friendly community education program in terms of participants’ reactions to the program, knowledge acquisition, change in behavior, and impacts associated with the program. A survey methodology was used to assess immediate reactions to the workshop (N = 110), and at a three-month follow-up to assess longer-term impacts of the program (N = 36). The workshop was well received with >88% of respondents being satisfied with the topics covered, delivery format, and program materials; >65% of respondents reported being more knowledgeable in all workshop topic areas as a result of the program. At follow-up, >80% of respondents reported that they implemented dementia-friendly actions as outlined in the workshop but were able do so more frequently for individual-level actions, rather than organizational-level actions. Respondents valued hearing the experiences of a person with lived experience. The study findings highlight the value of practical education targeted to public service sector personnel and codesigned and delivered by people living with dementia as a strategy for fostering change towards more dementia-friendly communities. Targeting leadership and management may affect greater change at organizational levels.

Challenging diabetes mellitus-related stigma with targeted education

Challenging diabetes mellitus-related stigma with targeted education

Words and Images Matter: Perspectives on Suicide, Mental Health Concerns and Alcohol and Other Drug Use Depiction.

The way in which topics like suicide, mental health concerns and alcohol and other drug use are communicated matters. It has the potential to have either a positive or negative impact on people and communities, particularly those with a lived experience of these concerns. This article draws on the findings of a qualitative study designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of stakeholders on the imagery and language used to depict suicide, mental health concerns or alcohol and other drug use. The focus group method was used as a form of participatory action research to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and views of those who use or are impacted by language and imagery about suicide, mental ill-health and AOD use, including those with lived experiences of these topics. A series of 10 focus groups were created in February and March 2022 with media and other professional communicators; people identifying as having a lived experience of suicide, mental ill-health or alcohol and other drug use; mental health and suicide prevention sector professionals; and people from priority populations (n = 49). From these focus groups, principles were developed as well as exemplars of helpful and less helpful depictions. Rather than prescriptive or static rules, the participants indicated that safe representations require an ongoing engagement with the principle of "do no harm". A positive conclusion arose-that words and images have the potential to promote help-seeking, challenge stigma or stereotypes and create change.

Challenging public stigma: the impact of a statewide social media campaign to reduce opioid use disorder stigma

Background Opioid-related stigma can affect the health and recovery of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). As such, campaigns to reduce stigma are needed. We evaluated Life Unites Us (LUU), a comprehensive social media campaign to reduce public stigma of opioids and those who use them, 12 months after campaign launch. Methods A cross-sectional web survey of 1,045 people was used to assess differences in public stigma by exposure to LUU. Survey items focused on public OUD stigma and were divided into three subscales: desire for social distance, treatment availability and effectiveness, and general attitudes. Results Controlling for relevant covariates (i.e. gender, political ideology, education level, race), individuals exposed to LUU endorsed less stigma in the desire for social distance and treatment subscales. There were no significant differences in stigma for the general attitudes subscale. Those who identified as more politically conservative held more stigma across all subscales than those who identified as less politically conservative. Females reported less treatment and general OUD stigma than males. Conclusions Findings suggest that comprehensive social media campaigns that foster connections, educate the public, and advocate for community-level change may positively influence public attitudes toward individuals with OUD and create a more supportive environment for recovery.

Building Recognition, Redistribution, and Representation in Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods: Exploring the Potential of Youth Activism in Scotland

This is a time of intersecting crises for young people in Scotland. More than a decade of austerity, the Covid‐19 pandemic, cost‐of‐living crisis, climate emergency, and ongoing global conflict all threaten youth security and create barriers to economic and civic participation. Alongside this, youth non‐participation is often framed as an individualised moral problem, diverting focus away from its structural causes. Evidence on youth activism suggests that young people are seeking new, creative spaces and modes of expression to challenge stigma, express dissent, and challenge inequalities in their communities. With support from grassroots youth and community organisations, youth activists can build trust, critical thinking skills, and solidarity. However, the extent to which youth activism can succeed in challenging structural causes of inequality, especially in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, requires further scrutiny. We draw on Nancy Fraser’s theory of participatory parity to explore how redistribution, recognition, and representation play out in the lives of young people, and how grassroots youth and community organisations support their development as activists. Based on a research study on the barriers and enablers to youth activism in Scotland, we seek to understand how neighbourhood‐based efforts to challenge stigma and economic inequality build dignity and hope, how relationship‐building between young people and the adults in their communities can support status recognition, and how these both contribute to emergent youth political representation.

Opportunities and limits: exploring young people’s views of staff care in residential alcohol and other drug services

ABSTRACT Young people in residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) services build meaningful relationships with workers during their stays. In this paper we use an ethics of care framework to explore what young people said about care, how it was delivered and what they valued about it. Drawing on three waves of longitudinal interviews conducted with 38 young people over 12 months, we discuss our findings according to two overarching themes – opportunities enabled by care and limits to care. Young people’s descriptions highlight the potential for care to challenge stigma, enhance self-worth and wellbeing, enable respectful staff-client relationships, and foster positive relationships crucial for maintaining engagement. At the same time, young people described challenges around providing both individual and collective care, coproducing care in structured environments, and facilitating care as young people transition out of residential services. These findings shed light on the delicate balance between care provision and contextual constraints within AOD settings. This emphasises the need for ethical relationships built on clear communication, mutual respect, and ongoing forms of care. Recognising the value of care work, especially in transitions out of acute treatment services, is essential for reshaping funding approaches to prioritise meaningful and continuing care.

Nurturing Black Male Mental Health Through the Black Church: A Conceptual Approach from a Social Work Perspective

ABSTRACT This article introduces a conceptual framework rooted in social work principles to support the mental well-being of Black males within the nurturing and supportive setting of the Black Church. It addresses how historical trauma, societal views of Black masculinity, and social determinants of health have made Black men more likely to experience mental health challenges. The framework combines vulnerability theory and social work theory to focus on Black men’s strengths and cultural sensitivities. It emphasizes the Black Church as a critical resource for promoting mental wellness and resilience. The approach includes implementing effective interventions to challenge stigma, improve the availability of mental health services, and encourage Black men to seek assistance. This article presents a holistic approach aimed at addressing mental health disparities experienced by Black males. It proposes using the strengths of the Black Church to promote resilience, facilitate healing, and encourage Black men to prioritize their mental well-being.

“Such a Queer Thing”: A Love Poem for Queer and Trans Young Adults

In a sociopolitical environment where LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, we are in critical need of research that challenges stigma and promotes joy for queer and trans people. Research poems utilize qualitative texts to disseminate findings via poetry, which can reduce stigma, promote empowerment, and tell a story. Interviews with LGBTQ+ college students ( n = 32) explored their experiences coming to and thriving in healthy intimate relationships. The authors, a queer cisgender woman and a queer genderqueer person, created the poem using quotes to illustrate processes of understanding one’s identity, discovering love, navigating queer relationships, and self-discovery.

Visualizing dementia and stigma: a scoping review of the literature

Discursive choices are recognized by both academic and dementia communities as being central to the perpetuation (or challenging) of dementia-related stigma. Yet, the focus of the vast majority of research on the discursive dynamics of dementia stigma to date has been on the role of language only, effectively failing to regard the multimodal reality of discourse. The present study aims to address this gap by conducting a scoping review of the smaller, and relatively more recent, body of literature that has examined visual modes of communication. The authors ask the following questions: (1) What theories of stigma have informed or guided studies of visual representations of dementia and people with dementia? (2) What visual features of representations of dementia and people with dementia might contribute to and/or challenge dementia stigma? Using Scopus, PubMed, PsychInfo and Google Scholar, 10 papers published between January 2000 and July 2023 were selected and thematically synthesized. The authors found that most studies had limited or no engagement with specific stigma theories, although the general principle of establishing or challenging distance between an in-group (‘us’) and out-group (‘them’) informed many of the analyses. Visual features with the potential to contribute to stigma tended to impersonalize people with dementia through foregrounding visual markers of dementia (oftentimes emphasizing loss and/or the brain) and establishing symbolic distance between viewers/other represented participants and people with dementia. This distance could be achieved through visual framing techniques (regarding angle, gaze, colour, setting) which, for instance, could subtly position people with dementia as the ‘living dead’. There was much less focus on visual features with the potential to challenge stigma, which together emphasized social connection, transformation and taking the perspective of someone with dementia. Turning to reception, another potential aspect of challenging stigma was reinterpreting supposedly ‘stigmatizing’ images. In this article, these findings are interpreted in relation to the broader stigma literature and implications for future research and advocacy efforts are discussed.

Mitigating Neighborhood Stigma: Examining Strategies of Relating and Reframing

In line with social construction scholarship, the stigmatization of neighborhoods has been used to justify or advocate for gentrification and development efforts that often displace marginalized populations. Challenging stigma in public discourse can help level the playing field in support of community interests. This study examines two strategies to mitigate neighborhood stigma: create opportunities for people to personally relate to a place and engage them in the positive reframing of extant narratives. It is based on a preregistered between-groups survey experiment in which 498 local college students rated the appeal of two Black, historically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Miami: Overtown and Liberty City. It finds that ratings of Overtown are significantly lower when its name is disclosed, indicating the presence of stigma. “Relating” improves ratings of Liberty City, however, only among Black students, not white or Hispanic students. “Reframing” improves ratings but only if students buy into the more positive frame.

HOW CULTURE AFFECTS ABORTION LAWS AND ITS IMPACTS

The Supreme Court's role in shaping reproductive rights for women in the United States has been significant since the landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade in 1973. However, the ongoing debate over access to reproductive healthcare and abortion rights persisted, leading to the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. This research explores the impact of legislative laws on abortion in the United States, focusing on the Dobbs v. Jackson case and its aftermath. This research discusses how trigger bans and gestational bans have resulted in a rapid decline in access to abortion services, particularly for marginalized communities. It also highlights the impact of these laws on young pregnant girls, who already face limited abortion options due to existing restrictions. This research further examines the role of culture in shaping views on abortion, including religious beliefs, stigma, and geographical location. It concludes by discussing the shift from pro-life to pro-choice views among Americans and the need for increased media coverage and advocacy campaigns to challenge stigma and humanize the abortion experience.

Mental health literacy among older adults in Shanghai: a descriptive qualitative study.

The aging population in China is surging rapidly, and elderly individuals are at higher risk of multiple mental health issues. Improving the mental health literacy of older adults can help them recognize mental illness and adopt proactive measures, potentially improving their mental health status and supporting the goal of healthy aging. To explore mental health literacy among older adults, providing a foundation for future interventions aimed at improving their mental health literacy. Guided by the new conceptualization framework of mental health literacy developed by Jiang et al. the study involved 20 community-dwelling older adults from four communities in Shanghai who were selected through purposive sampling to participate in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to summarize and extract themes from the data. The qualitative analysis identified three primary themes and eight subthemes: inadequate knowledge about mental health and illnesses, negative intentions and attitudes toward maintaining mental health and preventing mental illnesses, and health behavior to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders. This study reveals significant gaps in mental health literacy among older adults, underscoring the necessity for multifaceted interventions. It calls for concerted efforts from individuals, families, and society to bolster mental health knowledge, challenge stigma, and encourage supportive behaviors. By integrating these approaches with the 'Healthy China 2030' policy, we aim to enhance mental health literacy for the aged.

Symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and cycle phase are associated with enhanced facial emotion detection: An online cross-sectional study.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a depressive disorder affecting 5%-8% of people with menstrual cycles. Despite evidence that facial emotion detection is altered in depressive disorders, with enhanced detection of negative emotions (negativity bias), minimal research exists on premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms and the premenstrual phase on accuracy and intensity at detection of facial emotions. Cross-sectional quasi-experimental design. The Facial Emotion Detection Task was administered to 72 individuals assigned female at birth with no premenstrual dysphoric disorder (n = 30), and provisional PMDD (n = 42), based on a retrospective Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition-based measure of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Facial emotion detection was examined both irrespective of menstrual cycle phase, and as a function of premenstrual phase (yes, no). The task used neutral-to-emotional facial expression morphs (15 images/morph). Participants indicated the emotion detected for each image within the progressive intensity morph. For all six basic emotions (sad, angry, fearful, happy, disgust, and surprise), two scores were calculated: accuracy of responses and the intensity within the morph at which the correct emotion was first detected (image number). Individuals reporting moderate/severe symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder had more accurate and earlier detection of disgust, regardless of cycle phase. In addition, those with provisional premenstrual dysphoric disorder detected sad emotions earlier. A premenstrual dysphoric disorder group × cycle phase interaction also emerged: individuals reporting premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms were more accurate at detecting facial emotions during the premenstrual phase compared to the rest of the cycle, with a large effect size for sad emotions. The findings suggest enhanced facial emotion processing in individuals reporting symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, particularly for sadness and disgust. However, replication is required with larger samples and prospective designs. This premenstrual dysphoric disorder premenstrual emotion detection advantage suggests an adaptive cognitive mechanism in premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and challenges stigma surrounding premenstrual experiences.

Inverclyde Cares: compassionate and resilience communities in the face of multiple disadvantage

Inverclyde is a small local authority in the West of Scotland. There are less than 80,000 people in Inverclyde, and it is home to the most deprived areas of Scotland and the third highest drug deaths in the country. Inverclyde has significant deprivation, generational unemployment, child poverty and problematic drug and alcohol use. In recent years, the undercurrent of these multiple disadvantages has been compounded by the uncertainty and challenges of both a global pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. However, Inverclyde has the first recognised Compassionate Community in Scotland. Compassionate Inverclyde is a social movement underpinned by the values of compassion, helpfulness and neighbourliness. It is ordinary people helping ordinary people with extraordinary results. The juxtaposition between this radical kindness and the severe and multiple disadvantages has led to a new social movement called Inverclyde Cares. Building on the work of Compassionate Inverclyde, Inverclyde Cares recognises the importance of social connections and the role communities, voluntary organisations, the public sector and private businesses have in supporting one another. If supported and nurtured, these inter-dependencies can create communities that offer opportunities for those who are lonely, vulnerable or forgotten to feel valued and included. Inverclyde Cares is an all-system approach to address local social challenges with kindness and compassion.
 The 4 workstreams within Inverclyde Cares include bereavement, Covid remembrance, kindness and stigma. Inverclyde Cares recognises that bereavement is a universal experience. The Programme Lead has supported organisations across Inverclyde to explore how to support staff after a loved one dies, from compassionate policies and procedures to kindness within the language they use with each other. Several organisations have developed bereavement charters and have been awarded the national bereavement charter mark. Similarly, Inverclyde Cares recognises the loss felt throughout our community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Working in partnership with Greenspace Scotland, an artist has been commissioned to consult with the community to capture experiences during the pandemic and gather ideas for a meaningful lasting memorial. 
 Kindness is at the heart of Inverclyde Cares. The Inverclyde Kindness Awards acknowledge the kind actions that happen in every corner of Inverclyde every day, both by individuals and organisations. Along with this, the Programme Lead is supporting organisations to develop a Kindness Charter. Like the bereavement charter, this gives organisations an opportunity to explore how they can demonstrate kindness and the changes they pledge to make, both within their own staff teams and with external partners and communities. Likewise, there is no place for stigma in a caring and compassionate community. So far, there have been 3 Challenge Stigma events, which have explored what lies at the core of all stigma and the importance of positive language. These events have provided an opportunity for third sector organisations, public and independent partners, and communities to sit together as equals to discuss how to address stigma in Inverclyde. We are a group of people, using our collective experience to explore how to work together to solve a problem in our community, because community problems require community solutions.