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Stigma and its correlates in people living with lung cancer: A cross-sectional study from China
Xiao Hang Liu1, Jiu Di Zhong1,2, Jun E Zhang3
1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Objectives:
This study aimed to examine the level of stigma and identify the correlates of stigma among lung cancer patients in China.
Methods:
In total, 283 lung cancer patients were recruited from a tertiary cancer center in China by the convenience sampling method and completed a demographic, disease-related information and situational characteristics questionnaire and self-reported measures assessing stigma, state self-esteem, and coping self-efficacy.
Results:
The mean stigma score was moderate (2.38 ± 0.45). Stigma was significantly and negatively associated with state self-esteem (r = -0.607, P < .001) and coping self-efficacy (r = -0.424, P < .001). Multivariable linear regression showed that age, cancer stage, negative changes (ie, in financial burden, body image, and family relationship), cancer disclosure, perceived blame, state self-esteem, and coping self-efficacy accounted for 49.9% of the variance in stigma.
Conclusions:
Stigma is a widespread psychosocial phenomenon among patients with lung cancer in China. Health care policy-makers and professionals should pay more attention to this issue and take effective measures to address stigma among lung cancer patients by improving their state self-esteem and coping self-efficacy, encouraging cancer disclosure and providing support for adjusting to negative changes after diagnosis.
