Eliminating Stigma: A consideration of the role the pharmaceutical industry can play
April 2, 2015 |
My recent article in Medical Marketing & Media explored the importance of vaccine perceptions in a self-pay market and touched upon the issue of stigma, with the recognition that some diseases or conditions are so taboo in society that for physicians to merely suggest the idea of vaccination to their patients is to risk casting aspersions on their lifestyle. In this blog , I aim to take a more in-depth look at what stigma means in the context of healthcare and consider the opportunities and challenges for pharma.
Let’s start with a definition: the Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘stigma’ as ‘a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person’. Etymologically, the word dates back to the Greek, literally meaning ‘to brand or tattoo’, having acquired its figurative meaning in the 17th century.
As specialists in healthcare, stigma is something we frequently encounter across many of the disease areas in which we work. This is most evident when we are conducting research directly with patients and particularly in the emerging markets, which is my team’s focus. From sexually transmitted diseases to mental illness, shame may be associated with their condition and is a devastating reality for many of the patients we seek to understand.
At one level, stigma creates logistical challenges for us as market researchers. Recruiting and engaging patients with ‘unmentionable’ diseases to take part in market research interviews requires a creative approach and sensitive handling. For example in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Singapore, trying to recruit HIV patients is a challenge when disclosing one’s status as HIV positive has legal implications.
Of course stigma presents a challenge for pharmaceutical companies too. Patients who are too afraid to be tested, declare their status or seek help for their symptoms from a healthcare professional are unlikely to end up on effective treatment. Even if they do, stigma may considerably delay matters. As with the vaccination example mentioned earlier, stigma is also a potential impediment to prevention efforts.
The involvement of the pharmaceutical industry in campaigns to reduce the stigma of certain diseases / conditions is nothing new. The US National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) campaign to end discrimination against mental illness was heavily funded by a number of major pharmaceutical companies. Some commentators view such industry campaigns with cynicism, particularly in the more ambiguously defined and less clear cut therapy areas such as mental health. Making a label or diagnosis more ‘socially acceptable’ can be argued to be neither preventative nor curative but causative, i.e. done for the sole purpose of selling more people more drugs they don’t need.
Pharmaceutical marketing materials have also been accused of perpetuating stigma. A 2010 literature review published in the Journal of Mental Health found that advertisements for psychiatric medication were more likely to include negative imagery and less likely to portray people in everyday situations.
However that is not to say that pharmaceutical industry activities cannot be helpful, and in many areas there is clear opportunity (and need) for activities designed to reduce the stigma associated with illness. Putting this into practice is often far from easy, as intangible perceptions are difficult to alter. In some markets, stigma is deeply rooted in culture or religion, for example in conditions where possible routes of transmission include activities considered ‘sinful’. Ignorance is however often a key contributory factor in stigma. For example in conditions with visible manifestations such as psoriasis or shingles, frequently and incorrectly thought to be contagious, educational activities designed to raise public awareness of the condition can improve patients’ lives.
In conclusion, stigma is an important aspect of living with many health problems, and one that needs to be considered when conducting market research, particularly when patients are directly involved. A more in-depth understanding of the prejudice patients may face in their daily lives is also critical in helping to design activities and campaigns to address their needs, and to ensure implicit discriminations are not perpetuated in communications.
Research Partnership is one of the largest independent healthcare market research and consulting agencies in the world. Trusted partner to the global pharmaceutical industry, we use our expertise and experience to deliver intelligent, tailor-made solutions. We provide strategic recommendations that go beyond research, helping our clients to answer their fundamental business challenges. Find out more here: http://bit.ly/1E5Gfr9
This content was provided by Research Partnership
Company Details
Latest Content from Research Partnership
New syndicated report – Living with Ulcerative Colitis 2024
Living with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a new syndicated patient report that presents valuable insights into the unmet needs and the burden experienced by patients living with UC. The report...
Webcast: AI in MRX: Harnessing the power of AI + people
Artificial intelligence (AI) in market research has surged in recent years, with a flow of innovative tools and techniques which have the potential to revolutionize the landscape. But to unlock...
Navigating challenges of MedTech research with rare-disease patients
Authored by: Tom Donnelly, MedTech Director and Amanda Pirraglia, Associate Director. Published in Quirk's Magazine.
Product launch: What market research when?
Get the insights you need, when you need them, for your product launch planning
Therapy Watch launches new tracker covering Alzheimer’s Disease
The new Therapy Watch Alzheimer’s Disease tracker has recently launched in Germany, Japan and the US, with planned expansion into the remaining key European markets throughout 2024.
Therapy Watch launches new tracker covering pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
Therapy Watch Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is launching in the US market, with expansion into other geographies including Europe in 2024.
Healthcare in the age of AI: How will artificial intelligence impact future decision-making?
Authored by: Constanza Salas, Jhon Galindo and Rachel Howard
Therapy Watch launches new tracker covering Postpartum Depression
The new Therapy Watch Postpartum depression (PPD) study is the first tracker in the series to cover Psychiatry
Value-based pricing reform: Strengthening the ‘front door’ to the Colombian pharmaceutical market
Authored by: Marc Garcia and Tania Rodrigues
Infographic: Rare Diseases in China
How rare are rare diseases in China? Download this infographic to find out more and how we can offer guidance for pharma companies to consider.