Purpose/objectives: To describe the experiences of stigma and coping strategies among patients with lung cancer\nin China.\nResearch approach: Qualitative.\nSetting: The oncology department at Liaocheng Peoples Hospital.\nParticipants: A purposive sample of 17 patients experiencing stigma related to lung cancer voluntarily participated\nin data collection.\nMethodologic approach: Individual, semistructured qualitative interviews were chosen. Participants completed\nabout a 30-min focused interview. Exploratory qualitative approach guided data analysis.\nFindings: Three main thematic elements emerged from the interview data:(1) sources of stigma, such as smoking,\ndecreased ability to work, difficulties caring for self and family, damage to self-image, and cough and expectoration;\n(2) experiences of stigma, including feelings of stigma, remorse, loss of dignity, uselessness, social isolation, perceived\nexclusion, rejection, and discrimination; and (3) coping strategies, such as concealing the fact of sickness, reducing\nsocial activities, seeking medical assistance, adhering to treatment, and disclosing dissatisfaction.\nConclusions: Our results indicate the presence of perceived stigma among patients with lung cancer. Future work\nshould address the stigma associated with lung cancer and its related factors.\nInterpretation: As point-of-care providers, staff nurses are well positioned to develop effective interventions to help\npatients deal with stigma and to accomplish the goal of providing holistic nursing care.
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