Stigma and Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychosocial Oncology
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Stigma is a significant psychosocial factor affecting individuals with lung cancer.
• Understanding the relationship between stigma and various patient outcomes is essential for comprehensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct groups of lung cancer patients based on high and low levels of experienced stigma.
• To investigate how stigma influences symptom severity, symptom interference, social support, social constraints, and quality of life (QOL).

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 62 lung cancer patients from a US comprehensive cancer center completed a detailed questionnaire.
• Measures included stigma, symptom severity and interference, social support, social constraints, and QOL.
• IBM SPSS Statistics TwoStep Cluster Analysis and independent sample t tests were employed for data analysis.

Main Results:

• A high-stigma group (22 participants) exhibited significantly greater symptom severity (distress, memory problems, sadness) and interference (mood, relationships, life enjoyment).
• The high-stigma group also reported significantly higher social support and lower social constraints.
• Stigma was found to be significantly associated with a lower quality of life (QOL).

Conclusions:

• Stigma in lung cancer patients is linked to increased symptom burden and interference, but also higher social support.
• Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, must recognize stigma's pervasive influence on patient outcomes.
• Nurses can play a vital role in assessing stigma, social support, and QOL, facilitating necessary referrals to enhance patient care.