Assessing the Prevalent Myths and Misconceptions Among Caregivers of Patients With Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Certain popular ideas about how cancer starts and spreads, though scientifically wrong, can seem to make sense, especially when those ideas are rooted in old theories. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of myths and misconceptions among caregivers of patients with cancer. Materials and methods A hospital-based survey in a tertiary teaching hospital in a sub-Himalayan region of North India was conducted where caregivers (aged 18-70 years) were administered questionaries containing 10 close-ended questions. The study was conducted in small batches of 20-25 participants. The questionnaire was analyzed, and a healthcare worker discussed it with the participants and clarified their myths. Results A total of 400 participants were included in the study. The median age of the participants was 45 years (IQR 35-59). The majority of the participants were males (85%, n=340). The prevalent myths among the caregivers were the following: (a) cancer is always very painful (45.5%), (b) the cause of cancers is some sin/harm done to others (26%), (c) cancer results from some form of injuries (22.8%), and (d) cancer spreads from one person to another (20.8%). Over 90% of the participants (347/378) informed that post-survey counselling was effective in ameliorating their myths. Conclusion The present study highlights the widespread cancer myths and misconceptions among the caregivers of patients with cancer. Therefore, the need of the hour is to eliminate them to avoid any unnecessary treatment delays and strengthen the emotional and social support system for patients with cancer.