Objectives: 

The main goal of this project is to study and reduce the extent of stigmatization of patients with FD by physicians (general practitioners as well as specialists). This ESR will learn to assess the degree of stereotypical beliefs in physicians using Implicit Association Tests, vignettes and in-depth interviews, and will compare these stereotypical beliefs in different health care professionals. We will develop an eLearning on stigma and perform a feasibility study in which we test its effects on physicians’ stigma and stereotypical beliefs.

Expected Results: 

1. Experience with the implicit association test (IAT) and its use in FD research.
2. Case vignettes that can be used in establishing stigma and stereotypical beliefs of physicians regarding patients with FD.
3. Information on stereotypes derived from qualitative analyses of in depth interviews
4. An e-learning module on physicians’ stigma and stereotypical beliefs.

Planned secondments and research visits: 

1. University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (Prof. Löwe), Hamburg, Germany; Start: Months 12; Duration: 2 months; Aim: learn about stigma research in the field of FD
2. Wroclaw Medical University (WMU), Department of Psychiatry (Prof. Rymaszewska), Wroclaw, Poland; Start: Month 14; Duration: 3 months; Aim: learn about comparative stigma research and methods to assess stigma across Europe
3. De Bagagedrager (BAG), Zelhem, Netherlands (Mrs. Spanjers); Start: Month 26; Duration: 5 months; Aim: learn about developments of anti-stigma products