1. Does calling alcoholism an illness make a difference? The public image of alcoholism in Italy
- Author
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Matthias C. Angermeyer, Antonio Preti, Giulia Sini, Mirra Pintus, Glenda Cannas, Annaraffaela Manca, Giulia Cossu, A Piras, Alice Giua, Elisa Pintus, Mauro Giovanni Carta, Maria Francesca Moro, and Martina Piras
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Social stigma ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Social Stigma ,Population ,030508 substance abuse ,Toxicology ,Blame ,Random Allocation ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,medicine ,Humans ,Public view ,Pharmacology (medical) ,Young adult ,Psychiatry ,education ,Aged ,media_common ,Population-based study ,Aged, 80 and over ,Pharmacology ,Stereotyping ,education.field_of_study ,Alcohol dependence ,Stigma ,Mean age ,Middle Aged ,Alcoholism ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Italy ,Female ,0305 other medical science ,Psychology ,Attribution ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Clinical psychology - Abstract
Aims Using data from a population survey in two communities in the region of Sardinia, Italy, we examined the association between illness definition and attribution of personal characteristics to people with alcoholism. Methods Quota samples, stratified by gender and age, were drawn from the general population (males: 48%; mean age 48 ± 18; range: 15–90). A fully-structured interview was conducted face-to-face with 404 respondents. The assessment of the public view of ‘alcoholics’ was measured by their reactions to stimulus words rated on bipolar scales, and defined with adjectives with opposite meanings at each end. Results 322 participants (80%) rated the ‘alcoholic’ as ‘ill’. The definition of the ‘alcoholic’ as being ill showed a statistically higher odd of stigma across all the dimensions of personal attributes. Conclusions The expectation that people adopting the illness model would tend to blame less those afflicted for their condition and, consequently, stigmatize them less, was not confirmed.
- Published
- 2016