What is Stigma in Health and Social Care?

Stigma, in health and social care, refers to negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours directed toward individuals or groups based on a particular characteristic, condition, or status. This can relate to mental health problems, physical disability, chronic illness, substance misuse, HIV/AIDS, and many other conditions. These negative attitudes can come from society, service providers, organisations, or even the person affected themselves.

Stigma acts as a barrier. It stops people from seeking help, accessing services, or even voicing their challenges. People facing stigma often feel shame, isolation, and fear of discrimination. It affects self-esteem and can worsen health problems. In health and social care settings, stigma can shape the way professionals interact with individuals, the quality of care given and the willingness of people to access services. This has a huge impact on health outcomes and overall well-being.

What are the the Different Types of Stigma?

Stigma takes several forms, each affecting people in distinct ways. These include:

• Public stigma: Negative attitudes held by the broader community towards a specific group. For example, people might believe that those with a mental illness are dangerous or unpredictable.
• Self-stigma: When individuals absorb these negative beliefs and apply them to themselves. This can lessen motivation to seek support.
• Structural stigma: When institutions, policies, or systems provide fewer opportunities or services to certain groups. Examples include lack of wheelchair access or discriminatory hiring policies.
• Courtesy stigma: When friends, family, or carers of the affected individual are also treated differently because of their association.

All these forms of stigma can overlap and magnify each other.

Origins and Causes of Stigma

Stigma often arises from lack of understanding and fear. People may make assumptions based on stereotypes, past experiences, or media portrayals. These assumptions are not always based in fact, and they become deeply rooted in culture and community beliefs.

Specific causes include:

• Misinformation or myths
• Cultural beliefs about health, disability, or morality
• Fear of things seen as ‘different’ or ‘unknown’
• Historical treatment and social norms that define what is ‘normal’

These origins can be strong and hard to challenge, making stigma a persistent issue. Some communities or individuals may not even realise their views are stigmatising.

Common Examples of Stigma in Health and Social Care

Stigma is found in many areas of health and social care. Here are some real-life situations:

• A patient with depression who overhears staff joking about ‘crazy’ people may feel unwelcome or devalued.
• A young person with epilepsy being left out of group activities because others think it is ‘contagious’.
• Someone with a visible physical disability being spoken to in a childish way, rather than addressed as an adult.
• People living with HIV feeling anxious about confidentiality and whether they can trust their care provider.
• Older adults with dementia receiving less thorough medical care because their symptoms are dismissed as ‘just part of getting old’.
• Individuals with a history of substance misuse being refused life insurance or housing, even if they are in recovery.

Such experiences can stop people from speaking up about their needs or seeking appropriate support.

How Stigma Affects Individuals

The impact of stigma in health and social care is deep and wide-ranging. It affects how people see themselves, their relationships, and how they interact with services.

Someone facing stigma may:

• Experience shame or embarrassment about their health condition
• Avoid seeking medical care or postpone treatment
• Withdraw from friends, family, or social activities
• Develop low self-esteem or self-worth
• Struggle to find or keep a job
• Face discrimination in everyday life

The consequences can also extend to physical health. For example, someone embarrassed about a mental health condition might keep symptoms secret, leading to late diagnosis or treatment. This can lead to worse health outcomes and even crisis situations.

Stigma in Mental Health

Stigma around mental health is one of the most recognised issues in health and social care. People often misunderstand mental illness and fear those who experience it. This is sometimes reinforced by negative media representation.

Common beliefs include thinking that people with mental illness are dangerous, less capable, or beyond help. These beliefs are untrue and damaging. They can:

• Cause people to avoid getting help
• Lead to job loss or missed career opportunities
• Encourage social isolation
• Worsen symptoms and recovery times

Professional training, campaigns, and advocacy help reduce these views, but many people still report stigma when accessing mental health services.

The Role of Professionals in Reducing Stigma

People working in health and social care play a big part in challenging stigma. Their behaviour, language, and attitudes set an example for others. In some cases, even well-meaning professionals can show stigma without realising it.

Key ways to challenge stigma include:

• Using person-centred language (for instance, ‘person with schizophrenia’, not ‘schizophrenic’)
• Taking people seriously and giving them choices in their care
• Listening without judgement
• Providing information and reassurance about conditions or treatments
• Keeping confidentiality and respect at the heart of practice

Training and supervision help professionals reflect on their own attitudes. Teams that openly discuss stigma are better placed to offer supportive care.

How Organisations Can Tackle Stigma

Organisations have a responsibility to provide care that is respectful, fair, and inclusive. Reducing stigma benefits both service users and staff.

Approaches include:

• Having clear anti-discrimination policies
• Providing staff training on equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Building awareness campaigns that show positive stories and challenge stereotypes
• Encouraging service users to share their experiences and help shape services
• Making environments accessible for all, both physically and emotionally

Feedback systems help monitor whether people feel respected and supported. Changes to policy or environment can be made where necessary.

Legislation and Policies That Address Stigma

There are several laws in the UK designed to protect individuals from stigma and discrimination in health and social care settings. These include:

• The Equality Act 2010: Protects individuals from discrimination based on ‘protected characteristics’ such as disability, gender, age, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Mental Health Act 1983 (and amendments): Sets out rights for those with mental health problems and places duties on services to uphold dignity.
• Care Act 2014: Puts emphasis on wellbeing and dignity in care services.

These laws mean that services must not treat anyone unfairly, and must offer reasonable adjustments for people with different needs.

Language, Labelling, and Stereotypes

The language professionals use has a strong impact on stigma. Negative labels or outdated terms can make people feel less valued. For example, calling someone ‘an addict’ or ‘wheelchair-bound’ can reinforce unhelpful stereotypes.

Inclusive language treats the person as an individual, not a diagnosis. It avoids making assumptions or using language that devalues someone’s experience.

Some good practice tips:

• Say ‘person experiencing homelessness’ rather than ‘the homeless’
• Use ‘person living with HIV’ rather than ‘AIDS victim’
• Refer to ‘person with a learning disability’ instead of ‘retarded’ or ‘simple’

Challenging language and labelling is ongoing work, but it makes a huge difference to those affected.

Stigma and Intersectionality

Intersectionality is the idea that someone may face many sources of stigma at once. For example, a Black woman with a disability may experience stigma connected to her race, gender, and disability status, sometimes at the same time.

This can mean greater isolation or a higher chance of unfair treatment. Health and social care providers must consider all aspects of a person’s identity when offering care and support. Listening and learning from those with lived experience helps make services fairer and more understanding.

Reducing Stigma

Everyone can play a part in reducing stigma. Actions could be large or small, but all help shape a more inclusive society.

Some practical actions include:

• Educating yourself and others about different health conditions and experiences
• Speaking up if you hear prejudiced comments
• Supporting campaigns that aim to raise awareness and normalise health conversations
• Listening with empathy and patience, not judgement
• Treating everyone as an individual with their own strengths, needs, and stories

Organisations can:

• Run workshops and training for staff
• Display clear posters showing anti-discrimination messages
• Work with people who have lived experience to improve services
• Regularly review policies and practice with equality in mind

Supporting Those Affected by Stigma

People experiencing stigma need to feel supported, respected and heard. Peer support groups, advocacy services, and mental health charities can offer help. Health and social care professionals should signpost individuals to supportive communities and groups.

Support might look like:

• One-to-one counselling or therapy
• Peer-led support groups where people share similar experiences
• Clear information about rights and legal protections
• Advocacy support to help individuals speak up and get their needs met

People often benefit from someone who believes in their abilities and supports them to make choices.

The Wider Impact of Stigma

The effects of stigma do not stay confined to the person affected. They can ripple out to families, communities, and services. Stigma can make certain health conditions or social issues harder to talk about, plan for, or provide support.

For staff, seeing or experiencing stigma can lower morale, create division within teams, or even lead to ‘burnout’. Positive working environments focus on respect, challenge stigma head-on, and celebrate diversity.

Stigma also has a financial cost. If fewer people access early health support, costs to the NHS can increase through later intervention, crisis care, or the need for more intensive services.

Final Thoughts

Stigma in health and social care remains a huge challenge. It affects people’s health, relationships, and life chances. Reducing stigma makes care fairer, services more effective, and society more caring and inclusive. By changing attitudes, challenging language, and standing up to unfair treatment, everyone — professionals, organisations, and communities — can help create a better future for all.