Stigmatization: Consequences and the potential for tackling the problem in centers for coexistence and cooperatives

Abstract

The negative effects of stigma are a serious problem worldwide and efforts have therefore been made to enhance awareness and understanding of strategies to tackle this issue. Within the scope of public health policy, Centers for Coexistence and Cooperatives promote and enhance interaction between people from both vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups. This study sought to understand concepts of the process of stigmatization through the lens of professionals working in these centers. The discourse analysis resulted in units of meaning that included understandings about the types and consequences of stigmas and how to tackle this issue. Despite structural and macro social problems, there is persistence in the daily work in view of the possibility of transformation observed in the context of the service.