Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0277787 (stigma)
 13,352 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The illness career of the person with cancer has been characterized as a 'living-dying' experience in which, faced with the intolerable incompatibility of life and death, the individual and his or her family attempt to maintain control and 'normalize' everyday activity. Unfortunately, in their everyday struggles, families in North America appear to face social isolation from existing community services and networks that might assist them. Perhaps because the illness is so heavily medicalized and stigmatized, most persons with cancer and their families do not participate in them. A minority benefit from self-help organizations such as Cancer Society groups and survivor coalitions. The palliative care and hospice/home care movements provide an alternative to dying in the acute-care hospital, again, for a minority. Half of those with cancer survive more than 5 years; for these persons, the ordeal has just begun. Survivors must cope with physical disabilities due to surgery and the side effects of other treatments, the psychological traumas of fear of recurrence and social stigma, and the disappointment of a considerably reduced range of future possibilities for career and development. The fact that their relationships with others are negatively affected is well documented, particularly with intimate relationships. In a sense, a person never really 'gets over' cancer: it is a sword of Damocles that continues to hang over the individual and his or her family for the rest of the person's life.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:The experience of cancer. 801 85

Epilepsy is a common disease found in 2% of the population, affecting both young and old. Unfortunately, epileptics have previously been discouraged from participation in physical activity and sports for fear of inducing seizures or increasing seizure frequency. Despite a shift in medical recommendations toward encouraging rather than restricting participation, the stigma remains and epileptics continue to be less active than the general population. This results in increased body mass index, decreased aerobic endurance, poorer self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Although there are rare cases of exercise-induced seizures, studies have shown that physical activity can decrease seizure frequency, as well as lead to improved cardiovascular and psychologic health. The majority of sports are safe for epileptics to participate in with special attention to adequate seizure control, close monitoring of medications, and preparation of family, coaches, or trainers. Contact sports including football, hockey, and soccer have not been shown to induce seizures, and epileptics should not be precluded from participation. Water sports and swimming are felt to be safe if seizures are well controlled and direct supervision is present. Additional care must be taken in sports involving heights such as gymnastics, harnessed rock climbing, or horseback riding. Sports such as hang-gliding, scuba diving, or free climbing are not recommended, given the risk of severe injury or death, if a seizure were to occur during the activity. This article reviews the risks and benefits of physical activity in epileptics, discusses sports in which epileptics may participate, and addresses how to decrease possible risks for injury.
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PMID:Epilepsy and sports participation. 1472 9