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Social Stigma Attached to Swine Flu
A whole country or group of people may be singled out as the source of the problem rather than the germ. Right now, Mexico and, more broadly, Spanish-speaking people are seen by some as the “cause” of 2009 H1N1 (“swine flu”).
Preventing stigma is not simply altruistic; it is “enlightened self-interest.” Historically, people in scapegoat groups are reluctant to seek medical care when they are symptomatic and they go “underground,” putting themselves and others at greater risk. It would be particularly unfortunate in the case of swine flu, because there are effective treatments. Hyper-vigilance about “others” due to fear, while understandable, wastes valuable mental energy. A far better investment is concentrating on protective behaviors such as washing hands frequently; avoiding touching one’s mouth, nose, and eyes; and sharing in a workplace ethic that supports people staying home when they are sick.
Pointing a finger helps turn a mysterious illness into something that feels more familiar and more controllable. “Outsiders” are easy targets. People with a different national, ethnic, or religious background have historically been accused of spreading germs, regardless of what the science says. During the 2003 SARS crisis, 84% of surveyed Chinatown businesses in New York City reported a drop in trade, despite the limited presence of disease. In the early 1980s, Haitians were blamed for AIDS, despite the fact that the disease was spread via particular behaviors and not specific kinds of people. Typhoid Mary was vilified not just for infecting people through her cooking, but also for being a working class Irish immigrant, a detested social group in her day.
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