Havas S, Reisman J, Hsu L, Koumjian L
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.
Arch Intern Med. 1991 Jan;151(1):113-9.
Several previous studies that looked at the effects of labeling individuals as hypertensive found increases in psychosocial distress, diminished feelings of well-being, or absenteeism. Other studies found no such effects. Thus far, similar studies relating to labeling for high blood cholesterol levels have not been published. The Massachusetts Model Systems for Blood Cholesterol Screening Project investigated whether labeling effects occurred as a result of the community-based screening, education, and referral programs it conducted in Worcester and Lowell. Nine questions concerning perceptions of physical and psychological well-being were asked on a questionnaire given to screening participants. The same questions were asked as part of a follow-up questionnaire given to all individuals identified as having high blood cholesterol levels at one of the screenings. Comparison of the baseline and follow-up results did not demonstrate significant overall negative effects among any age, sex, racial, income, or educational groups. On the contrary, responses to many of the questions revealed small but statistically significant improvements in perceptions of physical and psychological well-being. The absence of negative labeling effects may be attributable to the positive, supportive approach to participant counseling taken by the project.
此前有几项研究关注给个体贴上高血压标签的影响，结果发现心理社会困扰增加、幸福感降低或旷工现象。其他研究则未发现此类影响。到目前为止，尚未发表与给高胆固醇水平贴标签相关的类似研究。马萨诸塞州血液胆固醇筛查项目模型系统调查了在伍斯特和洛厄尔开展的社区筛查、教育及转诊项目是否会产生标签效应。在发给筛查参与者的问卷中，询问了九个关于身心健康认知的问题。在发给所有在其中一次筛查中被确定为高胆固醇水平个体的后续问卷中，也问到了同样的问题。对基线和后续结果的比较并未显示在任何年龄、性别、种族、收入或教育群体中存在显著的总体负面影响。相反，对许多问题的回答显示，在身心健康认知方面有虽小但在统计学上显著的改善。未出现负面标签效应可能归因于该项目对参与者咨询采取的积极、支持性方法。
