- Title
- Exploring how a genetic attribution to disease relates to stigma experiences of Xhosa patients with schizophrenia in South Africa
- Creator
- Matshabane, Olivia P, Campbell, Megan, Faure, Marlyn C, Marshall, Patricia A, Mayosi, Bongani M, Stein, Dan J, Appelbaum, Paul S, de Vries, Jantina
- Subject
- To be catalogued
- Date
- 2020
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/302487
- Identifier
- vital:58201
- Identifier
- xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01875-z"
- Description
- Background: Over the past three decades, a range of international stakeholders have highlighted the possibility that genomic research may impact stigma associated with psychiatric disorders. Limited research has been conducted in Africa to investigate this relation. Method In the present study, using focus group discussions, we explored the relation between genetic attribution and stigma among 36 Xhosa people with schizophrenia. We addressed three main questions: (1) What causal beliefs do Xhosa people with schizophrenia use to explain their illness and to what extent do genetic explanations play a role in these beliefs? (2) What are the internalised stigma experiences of Xhosa people with schizophrenia? (3) How do genetic explanations relate to stigma experiences, if at all? Results Most participants were able to define genetics and some linked genetics to disease causation. Despite adequate knowledge of genetics and an emphasis on genetic explanations of schizophrenia in the study, most participants held a multitude of causal explanations including: psychosocial, environmental, and cultural. Moreover, participants rarely mentioned disease cause when describing their stigma experiences. Discussion For this population group, there was no straight-forward relation between a genetic attribution and stigma. Therefore, we did not fnd evidence that genetic attribution may signifcantly increase stigma. Although North American and European literature provides conficting evidence regarding this relation, there is increased consensus that biomedical explanations for psychiatric disorders may reduce blame. This study found evidence supporting that consensus. This study provides an empirical foundation to inform ongoing work on the psychosocial implications of psychiatric genomics research in non-Western contexts.
- Format
- computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (8 pages), pdf
- Publisher
- SpringerLink
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Matshabane, O.P., Campbell, M.M., Faure, M.C., Marshall, P.A., Mayosi, B.M., Stein, D.J., Appelbaum, P.S. and de Vries, J., 2020. Exploring how a genetic attribution to disease relates to stigma experiences of Xhosa patients with schizophrenia in South Africa. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 55(12), pp.1679-1686, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology volume 55 number 12 p. 1679 2020 1433-9285
- Rights
- Publisher
- Rights
- Open Access
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Collections
Campbell, Megan M (Prof)
RU Department of Psychology
SDG 05. Gender Equality
SDG 10. Reduced Inequalities
SDG 03. Good Health and Well-Being
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