Prevalence and associated factors of perceived cancer-related stigma in Japanese cancer survivors

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the prevalence and associated factors of perceived cancer-related stigma among Japanese cancer survivors. In this web-based survey involving 628 Japanese cancer survivors, perceived cancer-related stigma, quality of life (Quality of Life-Cancer Survivors Instrument), psychological distress (K6) and perceived social support (multidimensional scale of perceived social support) were evaluated. Perceived cancer-related stigma was endorsed by 61.2% of the participants. Perceived cancer-related stigma was significantly associated with quality of life (R = 0.35-0.37), psychological distress (R = 0.35) and perceived social support (R = 0.10). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that cancer survivors at younger ages (odds ratio = 0.96), with low income (odds ratio = 2.49), with poorer performance status (odds ratio = 2.33), and with breast, urinary or gynecological cancers (odds ratio = 4.27, 4.01, 4.01, respectively) were at higher risk for perceived cancer-related stigma.

Keywords: discrimination; disparity; inequity; stigma.