Stigma by association and Alzheimer's disease.

Although it is widely assumed that persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are victims of stigmatization, little is known about courtesy stigma or stigma by association and AD. Phone interviews were conducted with 61 caregivers of persons with AD in order to assess four dimensions of stigma by association--interpersonal interaction, concealment, structural discrimination and access to social roles. The participants perceived a minimal amount of stigma directed towards themselves but a considerable percentage reported perceptions of stigma regarding the person with AD. Additionally, participants reported high levels of structural discrimination towards the person with AD and towards themselves. It was found that stigma by association related to AD is especially high in dimensions affecting the delivery of services and the lives of the person with AD.