Lung Cancer Patients Face Stigma, Blame
People with lung cancer feel they get blamed for
their illness because the disease is mainly associated with smoking,
the BBC reported June 11. The stigma attached to lung cancer was detailed
in a study conducted by researchers at Oxford University.
The study of 45 lung-cancer patients found that those who had stopped
smoking years ago or had never smoked felt unfairly blamed for their
illness. The study said that some anti-smoking campaigns perpetuated
the problem, causing damaged relations with family, friends, and
doctors.
"Efforts to help people to quit smoking are important, but
clinical and educational interventions should be presented with
care so as not to add to the stigma experienced by patients with
lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases," the researchers
concluded.
Mike Unger, chief executive of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation,
supported the study's findings, saying there is a "huge"
stigma attached to having lung cancer.
"At a meeting I had with patients a few weeks ago, without
exception they were angry at the 'dirty lungs' image portrayed in
recent [ads] -- this just reinforced the stereotype. This campaign
might persuade some to stop smoking briefly, but it does nothing
to help those with lung cancer, a significant number of whom have
never smoked," he said. "[We] would much rather have such
[ads] focusing on lifestyle."
The study's findings appear in the British Medical Journal.
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