The Wall of Stigma-A Qualitative Study on the Health Perceptions of Socially Marginalised Patients.
Lisa Kvist Antonsen, Annmarie Touborg Lassen, Dorthe Nielsen and 1 others
PMID 40708092WHAT IT FOUND
Socially marginalised patients described health as managing everyday life, and many said alcohol or drugs helped them cope and socialise.
They felt unwelcome, lower priority, and labelled, which damaged their self-image and made care harder.
Key findings
01Participants described health as managing and participating in everyday life, and many said alcohol or drug use was a natural part of their everyday life.
02Participants said their treatment was not prioritised because they were categorised as alcohol or drug abusers, and earlier negative experiences made some avoid care or leave before completing treatment.
03Being treated as someone still struggling with addiction damaged participants' self-image and led some to question whether overcoming their addiction was worth trying.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The findings come from 16 patients at first interview and 13 at follow-up, so they cannot be generalised to all socially marginalised patients. Participants were recruited through social nurses and were already supported by one, so patients who might have benefited but never reached a social nurse are missing. Patients who were cognitively impaired or obviously intoxicated were excluded. Three follow-up participants dropped out because they were out of reach, cognitively impaired, or had died. Interviews lasted 15 to 60 minutes and the follow-up was 7 to 22 days after discharge, so the study may capture acute hospital experiences more than long-term care. The study reports perceptions, not measured outcomes or effectiveness of social nursing.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding came from Region Syddanmark, Syddansk Universitet, Østifterne, Novo Nordisk Fonden, and the Department of Emergency Medicine at Odense University Hospital.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that social nurses improve clinical outcomes or that stigma caused measurable health deterioration. This is a qualitative study of patients' perceptions, not a controlled comparison.