Nuancing stigma through ethnography: the case of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Suriname

Social Science & Medicine
Sahienshadebie RamdasHenk D F H Schallig

Abstract

Health-related stigma and its dramatic consequences for those stigmatized have long been a crucial concern for public health authorities globally. However, before concluding that stigma spoils the lives of people with a particular disease or disability and is a major obstacle to obtaining/providing adequate health care, it is necessary to first determine whether there is actual stigmatization related to the condition concerned. The purpose of this article is to nuance the concept of stigma through a detailed ethnographic exploration of the experiences and views of patients and others affected by the parasitic skin disease cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Suriname, South America. Qualitative data on the perceptions, treatment and illness experiences of CL in Suriname was collected in 2009 and 2010 among 205 CL patients at the Dermatology Service in the capital city Paramaribo, and among 321 people in different rural hinterland villages. The exploration reveals the complex and sometimes confusing statements of patients and observers of social reactions to the disease. The authors conclude that--in contrast to other societies--CL is not generally a stigmatized disease in Suriname (though this is not to deny that stigmatization may ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 3, 2019·Anthropology & Medicine·Sahienshadebie Ramdas, Sjaak van der Geest
Feb 26, 2019·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Freddie BaileyDavid H Molyneux
Mar 17, 2018·BMC Public Health·Issam BennisMarleen Boelaert
Jan 9, 2019·BMC Infectious Diseases·Henk D F H SchalligIsrael Cruz
Oct 24, 2020·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Ricardo V P F HuHenk D F H Schallig
Mar 7, 2017·Social Science & Medicine·Carolyn Smith-Morris

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