Asthma and stigma.

A questionnaire was sent to all asthmatics between the ages of 18 and 60 identified from a rural family practice in Southwestern Ontario. The questionnaire measured various attitudes concerning asthma and was used to identify those respondents reporting high levels of pessimism or stigma in relation to their condition. Seven respondents were then interviewed in depth, using interpretive research methods, to explore the experience of their condition and to attempt to clarify the concept of stigma in asthma. The conclusion of the study was that, for the respondents interviewed, stigma was not a major theme in their illness experience and seemed much less important than the current literature and the initial questionnaire results suggested.