Meanings of epilepsy in its sociocultural context and implications for stigma: Findings from ethnographic studies in local communities in China and Vietnam
Meanings of epilepsy in its sociocultural context and implications for stigma: Findings from ethnographic studies in local communities in China and Vietnam
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DOI：
10.1016/j.yebeh.2007.10.006
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发表时间：
2008-02-01
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Baker, G.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Jacoby, A.;Wang, W.;Baker, G.
我们调查了癫痫的病因、病程和治疗及其对关键目标人群生活质量（QOL）的影响的信念，使用“小型民族志”，涉及中国的141个深度访谈和12个焦点小组，以及越南的84个深度访谈和16个焦点小组。使用定性数据分析包按主题分析数据。在这两个国家，关于癫痫和癫痫发作的原因和触发因素的信念是西方，传统和民间医学概念的复杂交织。癫痫被认为是慢性的，不可治愈的，但可控的，被认为是巨大的社会破坏性，对生活质量的广泛影响。我们的研究结果表明，一个更“体现”和良性的一套理论癫痫比在其他一些文化背景下，尽管如此，癫痫患者仍然被视为具有较低的社会价值，面临社会排斥。通过探讨癫痫在这两种文化背景下的意义，我们已经澄清了先前记录的负面态度和未来干预研究的焦点背后的原因。(C)2007爱思唯尔公司All rights reserved.
We investigated beliefs about the causes, course, and treatment of epilepsy and its impact on quality of life (QOL) in key target groups, using "mini-ethnographies" involving 141 in-depth interviews and 12 focus groups in China, and 84 in-depth interviews and 16 focus groups in Vietnam. Data were analyzed thematically, using a qualitative data analysis package. In both countries, beliefs about causes and triggers of epilepsy and seizures were a complex interweaving of Western, traditional, and folk medicine concepts. Epilepsy was understood to be chronic, not curable, but controllable, and was seen as enormously socially disruptive, with wide-ranging impact on QOL. Our findings suggest a more "embodied" and benign set of theories about epilepsy than in some other cultural contexts; nonetheless, people with epilepsy are still seen as having low social value and face social rejection. By exploring meanings attached to epilepsy in these two cultural contexts, we have clarified reasons behind previously documented negative attitudes and foci for future intervention studies. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.