Overcoming the stigma of chronic illness: strategies for normalisation of a ‘spoiled identity’

Abstract

This paper addresses the concept of chronic illness as a socially constructed experience of stigma. The stigma of having a chronic illness affects the person’s self-concept, capacity to adapt to the illness and the quality of his/her social networks. Social stigma is a delegitimising social process derived from both popular and medical views of chronic illness. Based on research into the coping strategies of a range of people with long-term, serious chronic illnesses, the paper argues that government health policies and services in Australia can best help people with chronic illness by supporting their self-help groups and community-based activities.

Key Words:

• Chronic illness
• health policy
• medical classification
• self-concept
• self-help groups
• stigma