Lung Cancer Screening and Stigma: Do Smoking-Related Differences in Perceived Lung Cancer Stigma Emerge Prior to Diagnosis?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lung Cancer Screening and Stigma

T2 - Do Smoking-Related Differences in Perceived Lung Cancer Stigma Emerge Prior to Diagnosis?

AU - Williamson, Timothy J.

AU - Rawl, Susan M.

AU - Kale, Minal S.

AU - Carter-Harris, Lisa

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Psychological Association

PY - 2021/4/8

Y1 - 2021/4/8

N2 - Most lung cancer patients report experiencing stigma (i.e., devaluation based on one’s lung cancer diagnosis), which is associated with adverse health outcomes. Lung cancer is stigmatized due to its robust association with smoking and the perception of the disease as self-inflicted. Identifying sociodemographic and smoking-related correlates of perceived stigma among lung cancer screening-eligible adults (early in the cancer care trajectory) is needed to guide proactive psychosocial interventions to reduce stigma and improve health for patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer. A national sample of lung cancer screening-eligible adults (N = 515; 64.9% female) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic information, smoking-related characteristics, and perceived smoking-related lung cancer stigma. Zero-order and multivariate relationships between sociodemographic variables, smoking-related characteristics, and stigma were evaluated using Pearson’s correlations, t tests, ANOVAs, and multivariable regression. The multivariable regression demonstrated that younger age (b = −0.05, p =.047) was associated significantly with higher stigma. Additionally, women (b = 0.63, p =.015), participants who reported Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (b = 1.07, p =.049), and those with a college degree or higher (all p ≤.029) reported significantly higher stigma, compared to men, those who did not report Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and other education categories, respectively. None of the smoking-related characteristics were associated significantly with perceived stigma (all p?>.12). Sociodemographic variables (rather than smoking-related characteristics) significantly and uniquely differentiated lung cancer screening-eligible adults’ perception of lung cancer stigma. Smoking-related differences in lung cancer stigma may emerge following rather than prior to diagnosis.

AB - Most lung cancer patients report experiencing stigma (i.e., devaluation based on one’s lung cancer diagnosis), which is associated with adverse health outcomes. Lung cancer is stigmatized due to its robust association with smoking and the perception of the disease as self-inflicted. Identifying sociodemographic and smoking-related correlates of perceived stigma among lung cancer screening-eligible adults (early in the cancer care trajectory) is needed to guide proactive psychosocial interventions to reduce stigma and improve health for patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer. A national sample of lung cancer screening-eligible adults (N = 515; 64.9% female) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic information, smoking-related characteristics, and perceived smoking-related lung cancer stigma. Zero-order and multivariate relationships between sociodemographic variables, smoking-related characteristics, and stigma were evaluated using Pearson’s correlations, t tests, ANOVAs, and multivariable regression. The multivariable regression demonstrated that younger age (b = −0.05, p =.047) was associated significantly with higher stigma. Additionally, women (b = 0.63, p =.015), participants who reported Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (b = 1.07, p =.049), and those with a college degree or higher (all p ≤.029) reported significantly higher stigma, compared to men, those who did not report Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and other education categories, respectively. None of the smoking-related characteristics were associated significantly with perceived stigma (all p?>.12). Sociodemographic variables (rather than smoking-related characteristics) significantly and uniquely differentiated lung cancer screening-eligible adults’ perception of lung cancer stigma. Smoking-related differences in lung cancer stigma may emerge following rather than prior to diagnosis.

KW - lung cancer

KW - screening

KW - smoking history

KW - smoking status

KW - stigma

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109161417&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/sah0000300

DO - 10.1037/sah0000300

M3 - Article

SN - 2376-6972

VL - 8

SP - 497

EP - 500

JO - Stigma and Health

JF - Stigma and Health

IS - 4

ER -