Brief Report: Precision Language and Deletion of the “S” Word

Ciara Lockstadt; Mary M. Pasquinelli; Jill Feldman; Jamie L. Studts; Jamie S. Ostroff; Li Liu; Ella A. Kazerooni; Robert A. Smith; Lisa Carter-Bawa; Lawrence E. Feldman

doi:10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100711

Brief Report: Precision Language and Deletion of the “S” Word

Ciara Lockstadt, Mary M. Pasquinelli, Jill Feldman, Jamie L. Studts, Jamie S. Ostroff, Li Liu, Ella A. Kazerooni, Robert A. Smith, Lisa Carter-Bawa, Lawrence E. Feldman

Center for Discovery and Innovation

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Introduction: In 2021, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) published the IASLC Language Guide as guidance on preferred language and phrasing in oral and written communications, including presentations at conferences. This study analyzed presentations from the 2022 IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) one year after implementation of the Language Guide to identify adoption rates of non-stigmatizing language and to determine correlations with presenter characteristics. Methods: We downloaded 522 slide presentations from the IASLC WCLC 2022 conference attendee portal. We searched each presentation, including images, for discussion of tobacco use and the use of the term “smoker,” which is an indicator of stigmatizing language. We conducted internet searches to gather presenters’ stated home continent, sex, specialty, and professional degree. Results: Of 177 presentations that discussed smoking status, 77 presenters used non-stigmatizing language, whereas 100 presenters used the stigmatizing term “smoker.” Male MDs and female PhDs and non-medicine subspecialties and advocates were more likely to use non-stigmatizing language. Conclusions: Encouragingly, only after one year post-release of the Language Guide, more than one-third of the presenters at the WCLC used non-stigmatizing language. This finding represents a step toward improving respectful and inclusive language surrounding smoking within the thoracic oncology community.

Original language	English
Article number	100711
Journal	JTO Clinical and Research Reports
Volume	6
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100711
State	Published - Jan 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oncology
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100711

Cite this

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title = "Brief Report: Precision Language and Deletion of the “S” Word",

abstract = "Introduction: In 2021, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) published the IASLC Language Guide as guidance on preferred language and phrasing in oral and written communications, including presentations at conferences. This study analyzed presentations from the 2022 IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) one year after implementation of the Language Guide to identify adoption rates of non-stigmatizing language and to determine correlations with presenter characteristics. Methods: We downloaded 522 slide presentations from the IASLC WCLC 2022 conference attendee portal. We searched each presentation, including images, for discussion of tobacco use and the use of the term “smoker,” which is an indicator of stigmatizing language. We conducted internet searches to gather presenters{\textquoteright} stated home continent, sex, specialty, and professional degree. Results: Of 177 presentations that discussed smoking status, 77 presenters used non-stigmatizing language, whereas 100 presenters used the stigmatizing term “smoker.” Male MDs and female PhDs and non-medicine subspecialties and advocates were more likely to use non-stigmatizing language. Conclusions: Encouragingly, only after one year post-release of the Language Guide, more than one-third of the presenters at the WCLC used non-stigmatizing language. This finding represents a step toward improving respectful and inclusive language surrounding smoking within the thoracic oncology community.",

author = "Ciara Lockstadt and Pasquinelli, {Mary M.} and Jill Feldman and Studts, {Jamie L.} and Ostroff, {Jamie S.} and Li Liu and Kazerooni, {Ella A.} and Smith, {Robert A.} and Lisa Carter-Bawa and Feldman, {Lawrence E.}",

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year = "2025",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100711",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

journal = "JTO Clinical and Research Reports",

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T2 - Precision Language and Deletion of the “S” Word

AU - Lockstadt, Ciara

AU - Pasquinelli, Mary M.

AU - Feldman, Jill

AU - Studts, Jamie L.

AU - Ostroff, Jamie S.

AU - Liu, Li

AU - Kazerooni, Ella A.

AU - Smith, Robert A.

AU - Carter-Bawa, Lisa

AU - Feldman, Lawrence E.

PY - 2025/1

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N2 - Introduction: In 2021, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) published the IASLC Language Guide as guidance on preferred language and phrasing in oral and written communications, including presentations at conferences. This study analyzed presentations from the 2022 IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) one year after implementation of the Language Guide to identify adoption rates of non-stigmatizing language and to determine correlations with presenter characteristics. Methods: We downloaded 522 slide presentations from the IASLC WCLC 2022 conference attendee portal. We searched each presentation, including images, for discussion of tobacco use and the use of the term “smoker,” which is an indicator of stigmatizing language. We conducted internet searches to gather presenters’ stated home continent, sex, specialty, and professional degree. Results: Of 177 presentations that discussed smoking status, 77 presenters used non-stigmatizing language, whereas 100 presenters used the stigmatizing term “smoker.” Male MDs and female PhDs and non-medicine subspecialties and advocates were more likely to use non-stigmatizing language. Conclusions: Encouragingly, only after one year post-release of the Language Guide, more than one-third of the presenters at the WCLC used non-stigmatizing language. This finding represents a step toward improving respectful and inclusive language surrounding smoking within the thoracic oncology community.

AB - Introduction: In 2021, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) published the IASLC Language Guide as guidance on preferred language and phrasing in oral and written communications, including presentations at conferences. This study analyzed presentations from the 2022 IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) one year after implementation of the Language Guide to identify adoption rates of non-stigmatizing language and to determine correlations with presenter characteristics. Methods: We downloaded 522 slide presentations from the IASLC WCLC 2022 conference attendee portal. We searched each presentation, including images, for discussion of tobacco use and the use of the term “smoker,” which is an indicator of stigmatizing language. We conducted internet searches to gather presenters’ stated home continent, sex, specialty, and professional degree. Results: Of 177 presentations that discussed smoking status, 77 presenters used non-stigmatizing language, whereas 100 presenters used the stigmatizing term “smoker.” Male MDs and female PhDs and non-medicine subspecialties and advocates were more likely to use non-stigmatizing language. Conclusions: Encouragingly, only after one year post-release of the Language Guide, more than one-third of the presenters at the WCLC used non-stigmatizing language. This finding represents a step toward improving respectful and inclusive language surrounding smoking within the thoracic oncology community.

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Brief Report: Precision Language and Deletion of the “S” Word

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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