Abstract
Illness stigmatization among inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) is poorly understood. We aim to characterize internalized stigma and stigma resistance in IBD patients, and evaluate their relationships to outcomes. A total of 191 IBD patients reported internalized stigma, resistance, demographic and clinical information, and several outcomes: health-related quality of life (HRQOL), psychological distress, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Overall 36% experienced internalized stigma and 88% moderate to high stigma resistance behaviors. Internalized stigma strongly related to poorer outcomes while resistance demonstrated a weaker, opposite effect. Internalized stigma and stigma resistance are important considerations for IBD outcomes. Interventions to reduce internalized stigma and leverage resistance are warranted.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 451-460 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Health Psychology |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- illness stigmatization
- inflammatory bowel diseases
- internalized stigma
- patient outcomes
- psychosocial functioning