Impact of health-related stigma on psychosocial functioning in the general population: Construct validity and Swedish reference data for the Stigma-related Social Problems scale (SSP).
Emma Ohlsson-Nevo, Jan Karlsson
PMID 30499114WHAT IT FOUND
A brief questionnaire about stigma-related distress and avoidance produced consistent scores and lined up with social functioning measures in 3,422 Swedish adults.
Scores can help clinicians spot people whose health condition limits social life, especially older adults and those on sick leave.
Key findings
01The SSP scale is a 20-item questionnaire with 10 Distress items and 10 Avoidance items, scored 0 to 100, where higher means greater psychosocial dysfunction.
02In the 3,422 respondents, 15% reported severe distress and 10% reported severe avoidance.
03On the 0 to 100 scale, mean scores were highest among participants aged 80+ years (Distress 48.9; Avoidance 37.3) and among those on sick leave (Distress 57.9; Avoidance 48.8).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The response rate was 42%. Only 28% of people aged 20 to 39 responded. The norms may not represent young adults. The survey was postal. There was no web option. This may have reduced response among younger adults. The sample was mainly a general population. Twenty-five percent scored at the lowest possible level on Distress and 28% on Avoidance. Scores in people with stigmatizing conditions may be higher. The study did not test the scale in people with specific stigmatizing conditions. Future research plans to do that. The Distress and Avoidance scales correlated strongly (r=0.79). Subgroup differences support using both scales.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The article is listed as supported by non-U.S. government research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the scale as proof that stigma caused a patient's social withdrawal or that any treatment works. This study tested a questionnaire in a general population and did not evaluate causes or interventions.