Health disclosure mediates stigma-psychological well-being link among Vesico-Vaginal fistula patients

ABSTRACT

There is strong link between health stigma and poor psychological wellbeing among Vesico-Vaginal fistula (V.V.F.) patients, yet no study to date has investigated the variables mediating this link. This study investigated the mediating role of health disclosure on the relationship between health stigma and psychological wellbeing among V.V.F. patients in Nigeria. Participants were 183 women (aged 14–70 years; mean age 22.88 years, SD = 5.64) conveniently drawn from a National Obstetric Fistula Hospital facility in south-east Nigeria. Participants completed measures of health stigma, health disclosure and psychological wellbeing. Results showed that health disclosure mediated the association between health stigma and psychological wellbeing. The results indicated that increased health stigma would lead to decreased health disclosure which in turn, would lead to poor psychological wellbeing. Our findings highlighted the relevance of health disclosure in the management of stigma impacts on health and wellbeing of V.V.F. patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Health disclosure
• health stigma
• mediation
• Vesico-Vaginal fistula
• psychological wellbeing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.