š¤ Health Conditions
Includes terms for describing addiction, mental health, and obesity
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Use clear, neutral, and factual language when referring to diseases or health conditions. Avoid wording that implies judgment, blame, or pity.
When to include
Mention a disease or condition only when it adds meaning.
Leave it out when it does not.
Use:
Neutral, factual wording: has, is diagnosed with, is being treated for
Specific terms when relevant: has diabetes, was diagnosed with cancer
Avoid:
Language that implies struggling, suffering or pity: afflicted with, victim of
Defining people by a condition: a diabetic, a cancer victim
Overstating or exaggerating: miracle cure, breakthrough (without evidence)
Decision points
When is a condition relevant?
Include it when it helps explain the story or context. Leave it out when it does not.
How should I describe it?
Use clear, widely understood terms. Avoid unnecessary medical jargon unless needed for accuracy.
Word choice
Avoid language that implies judgment or drama:
battling cancer
suffers from
stroke victim
When helpful, describe how the condition affects the person instead of using a broad label: She has a condition that makes it easy for her to become lost.
Avoid suggesting that a condition defines the person.
Be aware:
Many people with diseases or conditions are otherwise healthy.
Conditions vary widely in severity and impact.
Avoid assumptions about ability, behavior, or lifestyle.
Avoid implying that a condition reflects a personās character, choices, or worth.
Style note
Disease names are generally lowercase: cancer, leukemia, malaria.
Capitalize only the proper noun in names derived from people or places: Alzheimerās disease, Parkinsonās disease, Ebola virus disease.
Examples:
Better: She has diabetes.
Avoid: She suffers from diabetes.
Better: He is being treated for cancer.
Avoid: He is battling cancer.
Better: She had a stroke.
Avoid: She is a stroke victim.
Related entries
See below: addiction; HIV, AIDS; mental illness; obesity and body size. Also see Disabilities.
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addiction
Use clear, neutral language. Avoid terms that define people by a condition or imply blame or moral failure.
Use:
person with an addiction
has an addiction
substance use (when appropriate)
Avoid:
addict, alcoholic, user, abuser (as labels)
derogatory terms such as junkie, drunk
Word choice
Use specific, neutral descriptions: has a heroin addiction, uses drugs.
Avoid language that implies judgment:
clean (to describe sobriety in general writing)
dirty (to describe use)
However, terms such as clean, sober, or clean and sober may be appropriate when:
quoting individuals
reflecting the language of a person or recovery community
a person uses those terms to describe themselves
Be precise: Not all substance use is addiction. Avoid assuming that people who use drugs or alcohol have an addiction.
Examples:
Better: She is being treated for alcohol addiction.
Avoid: She is an alcoholic.
HIV, AIDS
Use HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) accurately:
HIV is the virus.
AIDS is the condition that can develop from HIV.
A person can have HIV without having AIDS.
Use the abbreviations HIV and AIDS in all references. Spelling out the full terms is usually unnecessary.
Avoid redundant or incorrect phrasing: HIV virus, AIDS virus.
Use neutral phrasing: person living with HIV, has HIV.
Avoid: AIDS victim.
mental illness
Use clear, respectful language. Avoid assumptions, speculation, or language that defines people by a condition.
When to include
Mention mental illness only when it is relevant and supported by reliable information.
Do not speculate or rely on rumor.
Use:
Specific terms when known and relevant: depression, schizophrenia
Neutral phrasing: has depression, was diagnosed with ā¦
Avoid:
Defining people by a condition: a schizophrenic, the mentally ill
Language that implies pity or drama: suffers from, afflicted with, battling
Casual or metaphorical use of mental health terms: crazy, insane, psychotic (unless in quotations)
Be aware:
Most people with mental illness are not violent.
Avoid suggesting a connection between mental illness and violence without evidence.
Conditions and diagnoses can change over time.
Mental illness and intellectual or developmental disabilities are not the same. Mental illness refers to conditions that affect mood, thinking, or behavior. Intellectual or developmental disabilities affect learning, reasoning, or development.
Examples:
Better: He was diagnosed with depression.
Avoid: He is mentally ill.
Better: The plan is ineffective.
Avoid: The plan is crazy.
obesity and body size
Use care and precision when referring to weight. Preferences vary, and some terms may be stigmatizing.
Use:
person with obesity, when a general term is needed and relevant
people who are overweight, when relevant
terms people use for themselves, when known
Avoid:
obese as a general label when possible
morbidly obese
defining people primarily by weight
assumptions about health, behavior, or ability
Decision points
When is weight relevant?
Mention weight only when it adds meaning, such as in health or medical contexts.
What term should I use?
Use the term preferred by the person or group when known. Otherwise, use neutral, factual language.
Are obesity and overweight interchangeable?
No. They have distinct medical meanings. In general, overweight refers to a higher-than-recommended weight, while obesity refers to a more severe or chronic condition.
Use the more accurate term when it is relevant and supported by context.
Word choice
Some people prefer terms such as fat, plus-sized, larger-bodied, or people of higher weight. Use those terms when people or groups use them for themselves. A brief explanation may help.
Avoid phrasing that suggests people of higher weight are less capable, less healthy, or less worthy.
Examples
Better: Researchers studied treatment options for people with obesity.
Avoid: Researchers studied obese people.
Better: She uses the term fat to describe herself.
Avoid: She was described as fat (unless that is the personās stated preference or part of a quotation)
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