How do labels affect people

Although a number of barriers that may be related to the stigma associated with dementia and MCI diagnostic labels arise at each stage of the research process, specific steps can be taken to reduce the impact of these barriers on the successful completion of research in this area. It is critical that researchers actively work to overcome these barriers to ensure the recruitment and retention of participants who are as representative as possible, and to treat those individuals with maximum respect throughout the research process.

Jennifer H. Kyaien O. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Res Gerontol Nurs. Author manuscript; available in PMC May 4.

Linda Garand. Mary Amanda Dew. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Copyright notice. The publisher's final edited version of this article is available at Res Gerontol Nurs.

See other articles in PMC that cite the published article. Abstract Health care professionals use diagnostic labels to classify individuals for both treatment and research purposes. Background Gerontological nurse investigators must be cognizant of the stigma associated with diagnostic labels related to dementia or milder forms of cognitive impairment, as these conditions are highly prevalent among older adults.

Diagnostic Labels Using current nosologies, health care professionals assign diagnostic labels to classify individuals for both treatment and research purposes. Research Related to Stigma and The Dementia Label The stigma and discrimination attached to a diagnostic label of dementia are strongly associated with suffering, disability, and economic losses Graham et al.

Stigma and Participation in Clinical Research Investigators have identified a number of barriers to research participation among individuals with dementia and their family caregivers. Table Impact of stigma on clinical research related to cognitive Disorders. Issues in Clinical Research of Cognitive Disorders Behaviors Potentially Resulting from Stigma Strategies to Address Behaviors Associated with Stigma Identification of research participants Unwillingness to seek evaluation of stigmatizing symptoms Provide general education to the public to improve knowledge and attitudes related to dementia and mild cognitive impairment MCI.

Avoid use of medical jargon. Education about potential research studies Reluctance to learn about ongoing clinical studies that may benefit individuals with a stigmatizing diagnostic label e. Participation in research Unwillingness to enroll in clinical studies designed to benefit individuals with a stigmatizing diagnostic label Provide information and psychological support as individuals and their family members come to terms with the diagnosis of MCI or dementia.

Reinforce study participation for altruistic reasons. Conduct clinical studies in the participant's home or other convenient location. Treatment protocol fidelity Unwillingness to follow treatment protocols when the intervention reminds the person he or she has a stigmatized condition Monitor for participant burden and modify the protocol accordingly e. Lack of support from others Relationships with family and friends are affected by the stigmatizing condition Honor participants' requests regarding disclosure of study participation and preferred times to be contacted by study personnel.

Open in a separate window. Stigma and Identification of Dementia Research Participants Initially, the stigma associated with the label of dementia or MCI may prevent some individuals from seeking an evaluation of their cognitive symptoms.

Recommendations for Improving Participation in Dementia Research Public awareness programs aimed at changing individuals' openness to discussions of cognitive symptoms and dementia may increase general willingness to seek evaluation and care. Recommendations for Improving education about Potential Dementia and MCI Studies When individuals are reluctant to consider participating in studies due in part to stigma, investigators need to pay particular attention to the language used during recruitment encounters.

Participation in Dementia Research Another defensive behavior associated with stigma is reluctance to participate in research studies designed to test the effects of treatment strategies to improve the lives of individuals with a stigmatizing label. Retention of Research Participants Once participants have enrolled in a research study, procedures may require continued participation over an extended period of time.

Recommendations for Improving Retention of Research Participants In an effort to retain participants in our studies, we pay particular attention to the study location and language used when intervening with these individuals. Research treatment Protocol Fidelity Stigma may also affect treatment fidelity because participants frequently interrupt the treatment protocol to talk about the effects of MCI on their lives.

Recommendations for Improving treatment Protocol Fidelity Investigators also must consider respondent burden when attempting to retain participants in longitudinal studies. Lack of Support from Others Dementia and MCI family caregivers need the support and understanding of friends and family members as they learn about MCI, dementia, and the family caregiving role.

Recommendations to enhance Support from Others Investigators must ascertain participant preferences for receiving telephone calls or written communications related to the study.

Conclusion Dementia and MCI are diagnostic labels that have considerable use for health care providers and researchers in delineating specific patient populations that may benefit from clinical and research attention. Contributor Information Dr. References Alzheimer's Association. Stigma cited as top concern for people with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's Association. Voices of Alzheimer's disease: A summary report of the nationwide town hall meetings for people with early stage dementia.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Washington, DC: Author; Text Rev. Challenging the stigma of Alzheimer' disease. Hospital Medicine. Health and Social Care in the Community. Is MCI really just early dementia? A systematic review of conversion studies. International Psychogeriatrics. Caregivers' attitudes toward their family members' participation in Alzheimer's disease research: Implications for recruitment and retention. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders.

How clinical diagnosis might exacerbate the stigma of mental illness. Social Work. Lessons from social psychology on discrediting psychiatric stigma. American Psychologist. The stigma of psychiatric disorders and the gender, ethnicity, and education of the perceiver. Community Mental Health Journal. Stigmatisation of people with mental illness. British Journal of Psychiatry. Hospital and Community Psychiatry. Impact of cognitive impairment on mild dementia patients and mild cognitive impairment patients and their informants.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Western Journal of Nursing Research. Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Reducing stigma and discrimination against older people with mental disorders: A technical consensus statement. Living stigma: The impact of labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.

Sociological Inquiry. What are patients and their families told about the diagnosis of dementia? My life is different to that of a gay person, also, because I am oppressed by monosexism.

But it does. Think about it: As a queer person, I want to be able to discuss how it feels when people discriminate against me. I want to speak about how it hurts when people around me make heterosexist comments. I want to challenge the ways in which bisexual women are simultaneously sexualized and erased by society.

Inequality exists because of power structures. Using labels to describe our sexuality can also help us find solidarity in a heterosexist world. Most spaces, literature, and media cater to heterosexuality. Queer narratives are often erased and ignored by the mainstream. This can contribute to low self-esteem , mental illness, and suicide. Feeling unaccepted by the media also means many of us are tentative to come out and discuss their experiences.

It makes you feel hopeless and unsupported. Creating queer-friendly spaces and communities is revolutionary. It helps us support one another, share advice and feel loved in a world that constantly tries to dehumanize us. I had no community. Or perhaps you're a, dare I say it, vegan. When you read all of those words some conception of what those things are popped into your head. You probably have some kind of idea what a "nerd" or an "extrovert" does and tendencies they have.

These types of labels are actually pretty intrinsic to our brain structure, as it is an efficient way for us to categorize complex information. How though do these labels affect who we are as people and inform the way we act and portray ourselves to the rest of the world? According to Link and Phelan, in their chapter of the book A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health: Social Contexts, Theories, and Systems , "the act of labeling was strongly influenced by the social characteristics of the labelers, the person being labeled, and the social situation in which their interactions occurred".

Now when you first read this you may be thinking, "Um duh of course labels are social constructs that are made by people in society, why would you need a book with fancy words to tell me that? Yes, obviously labels are socially constructed. They're literally something society constructs and places onto a person or group of people. But the interesting thing here is the actual behavior of labeling someone, is strongly influenced by the attributes of the people doing the labeling, the people who are the object of the labeling, as well as the situation in which the labeling takes place to begin with.

The person who is being labeled is portraying attributes that are what drives others to place them in this category. If I play football a lot and am super in-shape I may be considered by others an athlete. People would look at me and think "this person is what I think an athlete is, therefore this is the category they are being stored in my brain as" usually not consciously of course, this all mostly happens in a matter of milliseconds.

If this continues and people constantly tell me that I'm an athlete, I'm going to start believing it myself, and thus start changing my behavior to match the mold of that label. If other people tell me I am something on a consistent basis, regardless of whether or not I believe it myself, I'm significantly more likely to incorporate that into my identity. Submit Search. Close Menu. The General Idea. The Effects of Labels. Who would you rather take to prom? Navigate Left. Navigate Right.

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