Screening and the construction of scepticism: the case of Chlamydia

Duncan, B., Hart, G. and Scoular, A. (2001) Screening and the construction of scepticism: the case of Chlamydia. Health, 5(2), pp. 165-185.

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Publisher's URL: http://hea.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/5/2/165

Abstract

Screening for disease is an integral component of UK preventative health policy, and there are proposals to introduce a screening programme for the sexually transmitted infectionChlamydia trachomatis. In recent years, however, debates over screening have been characterized by increasing scepticism about the individual benefits of participating in such initiatives. This article explores factors that may contribute to this scepticism, in the context of a study that investigated the experience of women who had been diagnosed with chlamydia. We employ Bury's concept of 'risk to meanings' to understand better the social process of the development of uncertainty in relation to a positive diagnosis. Three themes related to uncertainty and the 'risk to meaning' are explored here - the threat to self-image, disclosing diagnosis and anxiety about future health status. The implications for the proposed UK chlamydia screening programme are discussed, and the article suggests that the development and construction of scepticism occurs in the space between expectations stimulated by public health discourses of screening and the lived experience of individuals.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hart, Prof Graham and Scoular, Dr Anne
Authors: Duncan, B., Hart, G., and Scoular, A.
Subjects:R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Centre for Population and Health Sciences
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
Journal Name:Health
ISSN:1363-4593

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