Depression rates are higher in lung cancer patients than in patients with other kinds of cancer because of the stigma attached to the disease, says a new study appearing in the journal Psycho-Oncology.
Researchers from the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida believe theirs is the first study of its kind to look at the link between perceived stigma to depressive symptomology in lung cancer patients.
"Given its strong association with tobacco use, lung cancer is commonly viewed as a preventable disease," said study co-author Paul B. Jacobsen, Ph.D. "Consequently, patients may blame themselves for developing lung cancer and feel stigmatized. Even lung cancer patients who have never smoked often felt – accurately or inaccurately – that they were being blamed for their disease by friends, loved ones and even health care professionals."
Researchers noted that previously, similar links have been found to exist with other diseases such as HIV and AIDS, and they recommended psychotherapeutic interventions in lung cancer patients in an attempt to alleviate or prevent such depression.
Source: ecancer.org
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