Abstract
All human emotions can be seen as having evolutionary roots related to facilitating adaptation to recurrent challenges or opportunities. Given that disgust may be the only emotion which has evolved for the primary goal of protecting against health threats, it has particular relevance to chronic health conditions. Extant literature strongly implicates its presence in, and association with, screening and diagnosis, treatment and associated decision-making, and long-term adaption related to chronic health conditions. Conditions that have had particular attention in the context of disgust in the last decade include cancer, obesity, bowel conditions, and skin problems. In focusing on this particular cluster of conditions, the literature has consistently overlooked several promising avenues for future research. For instance, conditions where disfigurement is clearly visible to others or has altered bodily function seem to be particularly strong candidates for further work. This chapter discusses the relevant research and clinical implications in this area and presents a mandate to address notable gaps in the literature.
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Reynolds, L.M., Dev, V. (2021). How the “Ick Factor” Matters in Chronic Health Conditions. In: Powell, P.A., Consedine, N.S. (eds) The Handbook of Disgust Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84486-8_13
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