DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NEW Stigma Key Messages
West Africans in the United States and elsewhere may face stigmatization (stigma) during the current Ebola outbreak because the outbreak is associated with a region of the world.
Stigma involves stereotyping and discriminating against an identifiable group of people, a product, an animal, a place, or a nation.
Stigma can occur when people associate an infectious disease, such as Ebola, with a population, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease (for example, West Africans living in the United States).
Stigma occurred among Asian Americans in the United States during the SARS pandemic in 2003.
Communicators and public health officials can help counter stigma during the Ebola response.
Communicate early the risk or lack of risk from associations with products, people, and places.
Raise awareness of the potential problem.
Counter stigmatization with accurate risk information about how the virus spreads.
Speak out against negative behaviors.
Be cautious about the images that are shared. Make sure they do not reinforce stereotypes.
Model good behaviors; engage with stigmatized groups in person and through social media.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protects people’s health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions by providing credible information on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national and international organizations.
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Totally consistent with DHS and TSA directives to be fair and non-discriminatory. Don’t want muslins feeling picked just because the vile and viscious actions 99.999% make ther othe 0.001% look bad.
The same “anti-stigma non-discrimination” messaging was put out by Bush’s CDC during the SARS crisis.
This is much more than an Obama problem. It’s a widespread mental illness that is killing the West, and Republicans and Democrats are both affected.
IT IS THE JOB OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY TO DISCRIMINATE DURING EPIDEMICS. That is their function. That is the rationale for their existence.