Resources to address stigma related to sexuality, substance use and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections

Abstract

Background: Stigma is widely recognized as a significant barrier to the prevention, management and treatment of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in Canada. Despite major advances in STBBI prevention and treatment, and global efforts to reduce stigma, people living with or affected by STBBIs continue to experience stigma within health and social service settings in Canada.

The use of the environmental scan in health services delivery research: a scoping review protocol

“…Although environmental scans have been widely adopted in the healthcare sector to inform decision-making,12 31 37–59 there is no consensus on a definition to guide research and practice. This paper presents a protocol for a scoping review that will map the extent, range and nature of evidence examining the use or application of environmental scans within the health services delivery context.…”

“…Environmental scans have been used as an effective approach to information gathering for a range of specific purposes (table 1). These include reviewing the current state of services and programmes, evaluating community and patient needs, identifying service gaps, assessing professional education and training needs, supporting quality improvement initiatives, and informing programme and policy development 12 31 37–59. For instance, environmental scans have been used to assess remote symptom support training programmes for nurses in ambulatory oncology programmes56 and to describe paediatric navigation models across Canada 39…”

“…Despite the wide adoption of environmental scans within the healthcare sector,12 31 37–59 there is no consensus on a working definition or conceptual framework specific to health services delivery, and methodological guidance on the design and implementation of this approach to guide research and practice is lacking in the literature 12 29–31 45. Various terminologies have been used to describe the concept.…”

Structural determinants of stigma across health and social conditions: a rapid review and conceptual framework to guide future research and intervention

“…The reviewed literature explored many stigmatized experiences, identities, behaviours and health conditions (Table 2). Comprehensively, these were: individuals with mental health and substance use disorders; [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 26,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46] or other sexually transmitted or blood-borne infections (STBBI), 47 tuberculosis (TB), 48,49 diabetes, 50 epilepsy, 51 chronic pain 52,53 or cancer-particularly types whose etiology may be attributable to patients' behaviours; 54 vulnerable subpopulations such as migrants and racialized communities; 55,56 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other (LGBTQ+) populations; 57,58 individuals experiencing poverty; 59 sex workers; 60 single mothers; 61 individuals labelled as obese or fat; 46,62 biological mothers of children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; 63 and individuals who smoke. 64 Some authors highlighted that, although their research may have focussed on stigma pertaining to a specific condition or identity, individuals can experience multiple sources of stigma due to the intersection of multiple complex identities and life experiences.…”

“…64 Some authors highlighted that, although their research may have focussed on stigma pertaining to a specific condition or identity, individuals can experience multiple sources of stigma due to the intersection of multiple complex identities and life experiences. 47,60 These authors acknowledged that restricted study scope could represent a potential limitation to their studies.…”