Stigma, shame, and blame experienced by patients with lung cancer: Health promotion and support groups have a role

doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7462.402-b

BMJ 2004;329:402-403 (14 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7462.402-b

Letter

Stigma, shame, and blame experienced by patients with lung cancer

Health promotion and support groups have a role

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The research article by Chapple et al highlightsproblems for lung cancer patients and their experiences of stigmaand shame bring to mind two allied factors.¹

Credit: PAUL BROWN/SPL

Health promotion strategies have increased with our identificationof chronic conditions as the major health threat. The role ofindustrial development in exacerbating chronic health issueswas implicated, and initially health promotion advocates contextualisedillness with environmental, psychological and socioeconomicfactors.² Unfortunately the "determinants of health" model wasoften viewed as damaging to economic interests and a more "watereddown" individual version was preferred.³

However, many people (especially those in lower socioeconomicgroups) have fewer experiences of personal agency and greaterdifficulty changing unhealthy behaviours.⁴ Thus individualisedhealth promotion strategies have worked more effectively forpeople in higher socioeconomic groups.³ The individualised modelof health promotion has created a society that internalisesthe connection between choice, behaviour and health . . . [Full text of this article]

Rory Coughlan, assistant professor of health psychology

Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J 7B8 rorycoughlan@trentu.ca

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Relevant Article

Stigma, shame, and blame experienced by patients with lung cancer: qualitative study: A Chapple, S Ziebland, and A McPherson
BMJ 2004 328: 1470. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]