J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2011 Nov;11(3):237-246.

The Relationships between Stigma, Distress, and Quality of Life in Patients with Lung Cancer

• Lee JL
• Kim KS

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between stigma, distress, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with lung cancer.
METHODS
The subjects of the study were 123 lung cancer patients who visited the outpatient department of S hospital in Seoul from July 21st to August 29th, 2011. To measure stigma, distress, and QOL, Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and EORTC QLQ-C30 (Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30) were used in this study. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, average, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation with SPSS WIN 19.0.
RESULTS
Stigma showed positive correlations with anxiety, depression, and symptom (r=.37, p<.001; r=.44, p<.001; r=.23 p=.012), while it showed negative correlations with global QOL and function (r=-.26, p=.003; r=-.40, p<.001). Anxiety and depression also positively correlated with symptoms (r=.43, p<.001; r=.58, p<.001) while anxiety and depression negatively correlated with global QOL (r=-.40, p<.001; r=-.56, p<.001) and function (r=-.64, p<.001; r=-.66, p<.001).
CONCLUSION
The findings of the study demonstrated that lung cancer patients experienced stigma and distress that had a negative influence on the subjects' QOL. Thus the study's findings can be useful in developing psychosocial nursing strategies to improve QOL of lung cancer patients in the future.

Keyword

Lung Neoplasms; Social Sigma; Anxiety; Depression; Quality of Life

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Depression
Humans
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Outpatients
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires

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