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Illness-related stigma, mood and adjustment to illness in persons with hepatitis C

Author

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  • Golden, Jeannette
  • Conroy, Ronán Michael
  • Marie O'Dwyer, Ann
  • Golden, Daniel
  • Hardouin, Jean-Benoit

Abstract

We examined stigma in persons with hepatitis C and its relationship with mood and adjustment to illness. We studied 87 persons awaiting interferon treatment for hepatitis C at St James's Hospital, Dublin. Stigma was assessed using Fife's Experience of Illness scale. A structured clinical interview was used to establish DSM-IV diagnosis. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were also used as measures of mood. Factor analysis and clustering around latent variables analysis were used to assess scale structure and reliability. The stigma scale had an overall reliability of 0.94. A strong dimension of fear of disclosure emerged, from item analysis, together with dimensions of social isolation and social rejection. Stigma was higher in those in manual occupations and the unemployed than in those in non-manual occupation. There were high levels in those with disease associated with injecting drug use and iatrogenic disease caused by transfusion or anti-D blood products, and low levels in those who had been treated for haemophilia with contaminated products or whose hepatitis was of unknown origin. Adjusted for confounders, a 1-decile increase in stigma score had an odds ratio of 1.4 for DSM-IV depression and similar associations with depression on the HADS and BDI. Stigma was also associated with poorer work and social adjustment, lower acceptance of illness, higher subjective levels of symptoms and greater subjective impairment of memory and concentration. These associations were replicated in the non-depressed subsample. The results underline the strong link between stigma and well-being in hepatitis C. However, they also suggest that stigma is a complex construct that will require further research to elucidate.

Suggested Citation

  • Golden, Jeannette & Conroy, Ronán Michael & Marie O'Dwyer, Ann & Golden, Daniel & Hardouin, Jean-Benoit, 2006. "Illness-related stigma, mood and adjustment to illness in persons with hepatitis C," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(12), pages 3188-3198, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:12:p:3188-3198
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Waldby, Catherine & Rosengarten, Marsha & Treloar, Carla & Fraser, Suzanne, 2004. "Blood and bioidentity: ideas about self, boundaries and risk among blood donors and people living with Hepatitis C," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(7), pages 1461-1471, October.
    2. Felton, Barbara J. & Revenson, Tracey A. & Hinrichsen, Gregory A., 1984. "Stress and coping in the explanation of psychological adjustment among chronically ill adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 18(10), pages 889-898, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara J Turner & Kathryn Craig & Vidhi S Makanji & Bertha E Flores & Ludivina Hernandez, 2017. "Improving support and education of low‐income baby boomers diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus infection through universal screening," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(23-24), pages 4605-4612, December.
    2. Yvonne Nelly Drazic & Marie Louise Caltabiano, 2013. "Chronic hepatitis B and C: Exploring perceived stigma, disease information, and health‐related quality of life," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 172-178, June.

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