title: Does calling alcoholism an illness make a difference? The public image of alcoholism in Italy.
abstract: Using data from a population survey in two communities in the region of Sardinia, Italy, we examined the association between illness definition and attribution of personal characteristics to people with alcoholism.
  
  
  
  Quota samples, stratified by gender and age, were drawn from the general population (males: 48%; mean age 48±18; range: 15-90). A fully-structured interview was conducted face-to-face with 404 respondents. The assessment of the public view of 'alcoholics' was measured by their reactions to stimulus words rated on bipolar scales, and defined with adjectives with opposite meanings at each end.
  
  
  
  322 participants (80%) rated the 'alcoholic' as 'ill'. The definition of the 'alcoholic' as being ill showed a statistically higher odd of stigma across all the dimensions of personal attributes.
  
  
  
  The expectation that people adopting the illness model would tend to blame less those afflicted for their condition and, consequently, stigmatize them less, was not confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy; Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Paola
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: apreti@tin.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preti
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: Corso di Laurea in Tecnico della Riabilitazione Psichiatrica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giua
authors.affiliation: Corso di Laurea in Tecnico della Riabilitazione Psichiatrica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sini
authors.affiliation: Corso di Laurea in Tecnico della Riabilitazione Psichiatrica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pintus
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pintus
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annaraffaela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cannas
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Matthias Claus
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.affiliation: Centro di Psichiatria e di Consultazione Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Giovanni di Dio, Cagliari, Italy; Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Corso di Laurea in Tecnico della Riabilitazione Psichiatrica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro Giovanni
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Carta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol dependence; Population-based study; Stigma