为什么我们还在用“痴呆”命名疾病?

Why Are We Still Using“Chidai”to Label Dementia?

基于对上海220名“痴呆”患者及其家庭照料者历时20个月的田野调查,本文剖析了使用“痴呆”命名疾病的缘由,包括历史文化原因、公众对疾病的有限认识、媒体宣传以及医学教育部门对人文医学的忽视。借此呼吁医学相关部门了解“痴呆”的污名化效应,特别是使用“痴呆”带给患者和家属的“二次伤害”。同时,文章建议各利益相关方,特别是医学权威人士,推动该疾病的更名程序和去污名化,为该疾病正名。

Based on twenty months of fieldwork on investigating people with dementia and their family caregivers in Shanghai,this article intends to analyze the rationales of using the derogatory term“chidai”to name dementia,which include historical and cultural factors,limited knowledge of dementia among the public,media’s selective propaganda,and neglect of humanity care among the medical education sectors.By analyzing these factors,this article calls for the attention of the medical community to the stigmatization of“chidai”,particularly the secondary harmful effects of using“chidai”to label diseases on patients and their families.Meanwhile,this article invites relevant stakeholders,particularly medical authorities,to initiate the change of this disease name and de-stigmatization.