Stigma
Health Sociology
Definition. Stigma is a process of labelling, stereotyping, separation, status loss and discrimination that occurs when power allows these components to unfold.
Explanation
Goffman described stigma as an attribute that is deeply discrediting (Goffman, 1963). In health, weight stigma contributes to psychosocial distress (Timkova et al., 2025), and an international consensus calls for ending diabetes stigma and discrimination (Speight et al., 2024).
Related concepts
Ageism Loneliness Health inequalities Medicalization
Read on The Health Topics
- Weight Stigma’s Impact on Mental Health and Social Support
- Ending Diabetes Stigma: Global Consensus for Change
References
Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Prentice-Hall.
Speight, J., Holmes-Truscott, E., Garza, M., Scibilia, R., Wagner, S., Kato, A., Pedrero, V., Deschênes, S., Guzman, S. J., Joiner, K. L., Liu, S., Willaing, I., Babbott, K. M., Cleal, B., Dickinson, J. K., Halliday, J. A., Morrissey, E. C., Nefs, G., O’Donnell, S., … Skinner, T. C. (2024). Bringing an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination: An international consensus statement on evidence and recommendations. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 12 (1), 61–82.
Timkova, V., Mikula, P., & Nagyova, I. (2025). Psychosocial distress in people with overweight and obesity: the role of weight stigma and social support. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1474844. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1474844
Cite this entry: Kurutkan, M. N. (2026). Stigma. In The Health Topics glossary. https://healthtopic.org/glossary/stigma/