Table 5 Coping strategies
From: Coping with stigma: the experiences of Chinese patients living with lung cancer
Themes | Findings and supporting quotes |
|---|---|
Concealing the fact of sickness | Patients with lung cancer can suffer exclusion, rejection, and discrimination in their daily lives. In order to prevent such phenomena, patients reported concealing the fact of their sickness |
Participant 8: “Some people mark me as ‘the source of infection’ after learning that I have lung cancer, which brings me a lot of trouble. So I know that I can’t tell others about my disease, and I ask my children not to tell others” | |
Participant 9: “I do not talk about my disease to others easily. If my superiors are aware of my disease, can I be promoted? I wish I could arrange work for my children before I retire. I undergo chemotherapy early in the morning and after chemotherapy I go back to work as quickly as possible, trying my best to hide the secret” | |
Seeking explanations to give to others | During the interviews, several participants suggested that the main reason for alienation is that others are worried that the disease can be infectious. These participants reported studying the disease in detail by reading books and consulting doctors and nurses. They then explain the condition to others, and tell them that lung cancer is not contagious |
Participant 2: “I repeated several times that the disease was not contagious. Don’t be afraid” | |
Being cooperative patients | Because the source of LCS is related to a perception that patients themselves are responsible, those who want to reduce the stigma may try to be good, “cooperative” patients, following the treatment plan and actively caring for themselves, in hopes of an early hospital discharge and resumption of social and family roles |
Participant 6: “I want to cure the disease quickly and leave the hospital soon” | |
Participant 9: “I cooperate with the doctors and nurses actively. I hope to get out of the hospital soon, so that I cause my children less trouble and reduce my feeling of guilt” | |
Disclosing dissatisfaction | Patients can feel discontent and anger if their treatment results are not as they hoped, if they had high expectations of recovery, or if they feel rejection and alienation from the outside world. These patients may not cooperate with treatment |
Participant 10: “During that time I had a bad temper; I broke the thermos and cup, refused to receive nursing care, and was always angry with the medical staff” |