Event Title
"There's Nothing Wrong with You": Associated & Structural Stigma Related to Parkinson's Disease
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Faculty Mentor
Dr. Beth Mastel-Smith, Dr. Melinda Hermanns
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Date of Publication
2021
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by deficient levels of dopamine and characterized by slow movement, tremors, stiffness, difficulty walking and talking, and visual hallucinations. There is no cure; PD is a chronic disabling condition. Stigma Theory suggests that people categorize individuals toward a rejected stereotype. Theory constructs include: self, public, structural, and associated-stigma. Stigma is experienced by people with Parkinson's Disease (PWPD) negatively affecting physical, mental, and emotional health. The purpose of this study is to examine current literature and stigma experiences of care partners of people with PD and evaluate Stigma Theory's usefulness. In Phase I, we examined current literature that described care partners' stigma experience for evidence of Stigma Theory constructs with a focus on associated and structural stigma. Evidence suggested that stigma was evident in the lives of care partners of PWPD. Structural stigma was demonstrated in the lack of professional resources and knowledge of PD, and associated stigma was illustrated by care partners' feelings of embarrassment, isolation, and guilt. Phase II will include interviews with care partners of PWPD. Data will be collected and analyzed across participants, compared with literature findings and examined in the context of Stigma Theory.
Keywords
Parkinson's Disease, Stigma, Care Partners
Persistent Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/3023
Fong_Poster
"There's Nothing Wrong with You": Associated & Structural Stigma Related to Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by deficient levels of dopamine and characterized by slow movement, tremors, stiffness, difficulty walking and talking, and visual hallucinations. There is no cure; PD is a chronic disabling condition. Stigma Theory suggests that people categorize individuals toward a rejected stereotype. Theory constructs include: self, public, structural, and associated-stigma. Stigma is experienced by people with Parkinson's Disease (PWPD) negatively affecting physical, mental, and emotional health. The purpose of this study is to examine current literature and stigma experiences of care partners of people with PD and evaluate Stigma Theory's usefulness. In Phase I, we examined current literature that described care partners' stigma experience for evidence of Stigma Theory constructs with a focus on associated and structural stigma. Evidence suggested that stigma was evident in the lives of care partners of PWPD. Structural stigma was demonstrated in the lack of professional resources and knowledge of PD, and associated stigma was illustrated by care partners' feelings of embarrassment, isolation, and guilt. Phase II will include interviews with care partners of PWPD. Data will be collected and analyzed across participants, compared with literature findings and examined in the context of Stigma Theory.
Comments
Chandler Sutton commented "This presentation first caught my eye because my grandfather suffered with Parkinson’s Disease. I had never thought about how the stigma over a disease could have so many different facets affecting the person diagnosed and the family around them. I was surprised to find that structural stigma affecting the patients came largely in part from doctors’ lack of knowledge about this disease. Great presentation!"; Danice Greer commented "Great job Kailynn and faculty mentors!"