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Stigma is a discrediting attribute that emerges in social interactions, playing different roles in different contexts. Several fields (e.g., sociology and psychology) have dedicated special attention to this phenomenon as it significantly impacts people's lives. Although there is some interest in the idiosyncrasies of stigma in marketing and consumer behavior, the literature investigating such a concept is still fragmented. This systematic literature review addresses the stigma concept in marketing and consumer behavior studies by analyzing 82 articles directly approaching stigma in empirical studies. As to the contributions of our study: (1) it synthesizes the literature on stigma in marketing and consumer research, presenting the state‐of‐the‐art in this domain; (2) our two‐step thematic analyses combine a descriptive assessment of our sample by using consolidated models from socio‐psychology and an examination of the articles from the perspective of the dynamic nature of stigma in the marketplace and the processes of stigmatization and destigmatization; (3) it put forward a future research agenda suggesting research avenues worth exploring by marketing and consumer behavior researchers to advance knowledge on marketplace stigma. We found that stigma is a topic that fits in a wide range of theories, contexts, and methods in marketing and consumer behavior literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender consumers struggle to have their gender identity recognized, resorting to clothing as a practical way to forge their identity. Intimate apparel represents the innermost type of clothing, carrying both functional and aesthetic roles for transgender individuals. When navigating the intimate apparel marketplace, transgender consumers are faced with vulnerability as their gender identity is stigmatized by society, negatively impacting their well‐being. This research focuses on understanding the neglected aspects of intimate apparel consumption by transgender consumers, discussing the role of stigma as it generates vulnerability in the intimate apparel marketplace. To gain insight into the multifaceted transgender people's intimate apparel consumption context, we conducted in‐depth interviews with 18 Brazilian transgender consumers. Data were analyzed using dialogical thematic analysis with a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive coding. Our findings revealed that: (1) the consumption of intimate apparel by transgender individuals involves a striking duality of both positive and negative aspects; (2) although transgender consumers see intimate apparel as a legitimate way of expressing their gender identity that carries symbolic meaning, functional aspects (e.g., comfort and fit) are also essential to them; and (3) intimate apparel plays a unique role during transgender people's social transition as they can choose whether to use those pieces privately or publicly, unlike most fashion products. Our key takeaway from this research is that consuming intimate apparel carries multifaceted meanings for transgender consumers, impacting their emotional and social well‐being in several ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, more than one billion people are vulnerable to neglected tropical diseases, many of which have viral origins and cardiovascular implications. Access to cardiovascular care is limited in countries where these conditions are endemic. Six billion people lack access to safe, timely and affordable cardiac surgical care, whereby over 100 countries and territories lack a single cardiac surgeon. Moreover, while clinically unique, the surgical consequences of neglected cardiovascular diseases with viral origins have been poorly described in the current literature. This review provides an overview of the global burden of viral cardiovascular disease, describes access to cardiac surgical care in regions where these conditions are endemic, and further highlights surgical consequences and considerations to manage patients requiring cardiac surgical care. Article Highlights Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the considerable burden of neglected viral cardiovascular diseases, these conditions have largely gone unnoticed on the global health agenda. Myocarditis is the most common cardiovascular consequence of viral infection, with an estimated 1.8 million cases worldwide. In high-income countries, myocarditis is predominantly caused by viral infections, while in LMICs, it is more often attributed to bacterial and parasitic infections such as tuberculosis, Chagas disease, and malaria, alongside viral origins. Over six billion people lack access to safe, timely and affordable cardiac surgical care, as a result of geographical distance, no or limited infrastructural capacity, low-quality care and financial barriers. Myocarditis and acute and chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy are two of the major etiologies of viral infections impacting the heart muscle. Progressive disease may require mechanical circulatory support and cardiac surgical care, which are poorly accessible in endemic areas. Community-driven and patient-centered efforts are necessary to meet the needs of communities most burdened by untreated cardiovascular viral diseases and avoid further divergence in terms of health status and outcomes, socioeconomic development and access to essential cardiovascular care. Multidisciplinary and international efforts, such as the NET-Heart Project, are growing to systematically study the link between neglected tropical diseases and cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]