Stigma, taboos, and altered bowel function

Abstract

This article discusses the concepts of stigma and taboos and their relevance to bowel function and gastrointestinal disorders. The author debates the definitions regarding the concepts of stigma and taboos and considers the effects of stigma on the stigmatised and non-stigmatised person. The types of stigma experienced by individuals with chronic illness are examined and the effect of stigma in specific gastrointestinal disorders is reviewed. The interventions to try to reduce the stigma associated with bowel function and gastrointestinal disorder are also explored. It is hoped that this article will contribute to a debate on addressing the issue of stigma in the UK.Many subjects were once considered taboo but are now discussed more freely, such as death, sexual function, and even urinary incontinence. These subjects are now debated on television or spoken about in advertisements. However, one taboo persists in the UK-that of bowel function (Kaplan, 2012). A recent spate of advertisements on television promoting laxatives make reference to constipation, but do not refer to the bowel directly or discuss bowel function; instead they refer to 'being back to your old self again'. Similarly, any advertisements for continence pads do not refer to faecal incontinence.

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