Lung Cancer Stigma Predicts Timing of Medical Help-Seeking Behavior

作者：Lisa Carter‐Harris, Carla Penrod Hermann, Judy A. Schreiber, Michael T. Weaver, Susan M. Rawl · 发表于：Oncology nursing forum · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.1188/14.onf.e203-e210 · 被引用次数：132 · 研究领域：Cancer survivorship and care、Global Cancer Incidence and Screening、Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships among demographic variables, healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, smoking status, and timing of medical help-seeking behavior in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer after controlling for ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and social desirability. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study. SETTING: Outpatient oncology clinics in Louisville, KY. SAMPLE: 94 patients diagnosed in the past three weeks to six years with all stages of lung cancer. METHODS: Self-report, written survey packets were administered in person followed by a semistructured interview to assess symptoms and timing characteristics of practice-identified patients with lung cancer. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Timing of medical help-seeking behavior, healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, and smoking status. FINDINGS: Lung cancer stigma was independently associated with timing of medical help-seeking behavior in patients with lung cancer. Healthcare system distrust and smoking status were not independently associated with timing of medical help-seeking behavior. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS suggest that stigma influences medical help-seeking behavior for lung cancer symptoms, serving as a barrier to prompt medical help-seeking behavior. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: When designing interventions to promote early medical help-seeking behavior in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer, methods that consider lung cancer stigm...