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Perceptions of Lung Cancer and Potential Impacts on Funding and Patient Care: a Qualitative Study

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore health-care professionals’, health administrators’, and not-for-profit cancer organization representatives’ perceptions of lung cancer-related stigma and nihilism and the perceived impacts on funding and patient care. This is a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews, which was conducted in Ontario, Canada. Seventy-four individuals from medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, respirology, pathology, radiology, primary care, palliative care, nursing, pharmacy, social work, genetics, health administration, and not-for-profit cancer organizations participated in this study. Participants described lung cancer-related stigma and nihilism and its negative impact on patients’ psychological health, lung cancer funding, and patient care. The feeling of guilt and shame experienced by lung cancer patients as a result of the stigma associated with the disease was described. In terms of lung cancer funding, stigma was described as a reason lung cancer receives significantly less research funding compared to other cancers. In terms of patient care, lung cancer-related nihilism was credited with negatively impacting physician referral patterns with the belief that lung cancer patients were less likely to receive referrals for medical treatment. Health-care professionals, health administrators, and not-for-profit cancer organization representatives described lung cancer-related stigma and nihilism with far-reaching consequences. Further work is needed to increase education and awareness about lung cancer to reduce the stigma and nihilism associated with the disease.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Innovation in Complex Care, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada

    Kim Tran, Kendra Delicaet & Howard Abrams

  2. Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, Canada

    Theresa Tang, Leslie Beard Ashley & Dante Morra

  3. Division of General Internal Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada

    Howard Abrams

  4. Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth St. GNU 403, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada

    Kim Tran

Authors
  1. Kim Tran
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  2. Kendra Delicaet
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  3. Theresa Tang
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  4. Leslie Beard Ashley
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  5. Dante Morra
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  6. Howard Abrams
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Correspondence to Kim Tran.

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Tran, K., Delicaet, K., Tang, T. et al. Perceptions of Lung Cancer and Potential Impacts on Funding and Patient Care: a Qualitative Study. J Canc Educ 30, 62–67 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0677-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0677-z

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