Lung Cancer and Stigma

Question 1

Define stigma

Answer 1

• An attribute that is deeply discrediting
• Reduces bearer from a whole person to a tainted discounted one
• Excludes people from full social participation
• Left with a spoilt identity

Question 2

What are the different types of stigma?

Answer 2

• Physical differences (e.g. obesity, leprosy, disability)
• Blemishes of individual character (e.g. addiction, unemployment, mental illness)
• Membership in certain social groups (ethnic, religious, radicalised group)
• Courtesy stigma (by association)
• Felt stigma (shame associated with stigma)
• Enacted stigma (actual rejection prejudice and discrimination)

Question 3

What are the 4 stages of stigma?

Answer 3

• People identify and label human differences (e.g. smokers vs nonsmokers
• Human differences linked to negative attributes
• Labelled individuals categorised as distinct from ‘us’
• Labelled individuals experience status loss, discrimination and blame

Question 4

Why do people stigmatise others?

Answer 4

• Avoidance of disease/ keep people away
• Enforcement of social norms/ keeping people in
• Exploitation and domination/ keeping them down

Question 5

What are the two forms of stigma?

Answer 5

• Discreditable stigma (condition unknown by other- concealed)
• Discredited stigma (visible)

Question 6

Describe how people manage stigma

Answer 6

• Secrecy (if discreditable)
• Education (providing info to counter judgements)
• Withdrawal
• Distancing (unlike others with same stigma)
• Deflecting (only a small part)
• Challenging (change others belief)

Question 7

What is the impact of stigma on patients with lung cancer and other health conditions?

Answer 7

• Smoking used to be advertised positively in the 1950s, lately changed
• Lung cancer is usually caused by smoking
• Experience stigma more than other groups
• Prevailing view that they are all smokers that have inflicted the disease on themselves