Who is the bigger stigmatizor?: The loved one or the society

Yildirim Z., Ertem D. H., Dirican A. C., Baybas S.

EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR, vol.96, pp.13-22, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 96
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.04.013
  • Journal Name: EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.13-22
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: Epilepsy has long been considered by the society as a dangerous and frightening spiritual possession or even a contagious disease. This results in an unavoidable embarrassment for both the patient and the family leading to social isolation, seclusion, and secretiveness about the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to determine the stigmatizing level of the general Turkish population and to compare these results with the stigmatizing level of the patients' relatives group (PRG).