Stigma and health literacy: an agenda for advancing research and practice.

OBJECTIVES

To propose a framework addressing various factors contributing to stigma associated with low health literacy, how stigma is manifested, and how it may contribute to adverse health consequences.

METHOD: The framework incorporated concepts found in existing empirical research on stigmatized health conditions with an emphasis on concealable conditions such as mental health, HIV status, and some chronic illnesses.

RESULTS

Pursuing the proposed research agenda would provide a better understanding of the various factors contributing to stigma associated with low health literacy, how that stigma is manifested, and how it may contribute to adverse health consequences.

CONCLUSION

The goal of proposing a wide-ranging research agenda is to encourage research that will inform the development of a comprehensive framework that addresses factors that influence stigma associated with health literacy from multiple levels: micro, meso, and macro.