Managing Stigma: Young People, Asthma, and the Politics of Chronic Illness

Lee F. Monaghan, Jonathan Gabe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In this article, we explore the relationship between asthma and stigma, drawing on 31 interviews with young people (aged 5–17) in Ireland. Participants with mild to moderate asthma were recruited from Traveller and middle-class settled communities. Themes derived from an abductive approach to data analysis and a critical appreciation of Goffmanesque sociology include asthma as a discreditable stigma, negative social reactions (real, imagined, and anticipated), and stigma management. Going beyond a personal tragedy model, we reflect upon macro-social structures (e.g., ethnicity, class, gender) which underlie stigma and the management of a potentially spoiled identity. This raises issues about the politics of chronic illness, embodying health identities and efforts to tackle stigma in neoliberal times.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1877-1889
Number of pages13
JournalQualitative Health Research
Volume29
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2019

Keywords

  • asthma
  • Goffman
  • inequality
  • Ireland
  • medical sociology
  • qualitative interviews
  • stigma
  • young people

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