Issues of definitions and their implications: AIDS and leprosy

Ilse J. Volinn

Social Science & Medicine, 1989, vol. 29, issue 10, 1157-1162

Abstract: It is demonstrated how definitions can determine social consequences of impairement and disability. A comparison between leprosy and AIDS provides the basis for the discussion. The United States is the geographic and political arena under consideration. Issues of classification as STD (sexually transmitted disease) or as contagious, communicable disease are relevant. An important factor to predict the social impact is the nomenclature utilized by CDC (Center for Disease Control). CDC represents the government as the official agency to gather and report morbidity and mortality information. Hypotheses to explain stigma on the basis of epidemiological bases are added to the usual sociological concepts or historical considerations. Potential application of the findings are discussed.

Keywords: leprosy; AIDS; classifications; stigma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1989
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0277-9536(89)90358-4
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:29:y:1989:i:10:p:1157-1162

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
http://www.elsevier. ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Social Science & Medicine is currently edited by Ichiro (I.) Kawachi and S.V. (S.V.) Subramanian

More articles in Social Science & Medicine from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().