Development and validation of the cancer self-perceived discrimination scale for Chinese cancer patients

Abstract

BackgroundTo develop a Cancer Self-Perceived Discrimination Scale (CSPDS) for Chinese cancer patients and to assess its reliability and validity.MethodA total of 178 patients were recruited and the classical test theory was used to develop the CSPDS. Item analysis was adapted to improve the preliminary version of the CSPDS, then the reliability, the validity and the acceptability of the final version of CSPDS were assessed.ResultsThis CSPDS contained 14 items classified into 3 subscales: social withdrawal with 7 items, stigma with 4 and self-deprecation with 3. Good validity (χ2/df = 1.216, GFI = 0.935, AGFI = 0.903, I-CVIs> 0.80) and good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.829, Spearman-Brown coefficient = 0.827, test-retest reliability coefficient = 0.944) were found. The completion time was 6.06 ± 1.80 min. Participants who were female and reported poor self-rated health tended to have higher CSPDS scores (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe results indicated that this CSPDS could be used to assess the level of self-perceived discrimination and to preliminarily screen perceived discrimination among Chinese cancer patients, especially in Southwest China. It may provide a basis for scientific assessment of targeted patient education, psychological counseling, social interventions, and psychotherapy in the future.

Development and validation of the cancer symptoms discrimination scale: a cross-sectional survey of students in Yunnan, China

“…All the factors contribute to the poor health awareness, poor health literacy and low disease awareness in the students. In addition, the lack of family health education, the wrong guidance of public opinion, feudal superstition and other factors may cause attitudes discrimination such as "Cancer is karma", "Cancer is contagious", "It is unlucky to associate with cancer patients", and "Cancer patients are not clean" in the students [33]. This sort of attitude discrimination would further lead to behavioral discrimination.…”

“…Previous studies have found that the adverse effects of cancer symptoms/side effects in cancer patients mainly include worries about the future, emotional difficulties, decreased physical functions, impaired sexual function, negative self-image, fatigue, sleeping difficulty, financial burden and work limitations [ 31 , 32 ]. According to our own previous research, we hold the opinion that one main cause of cancer discrimination is the discrimination against cancer symptoms in healthy people [ 33 , 34 ]. The easy-to-be-noticed cancer symptoms are the primary differences between cancer patients and the healthy people [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Evaluación del estigma hacia pacientes con cáncer: una aproximación psicométrica

“…La vinculación de la muerte con la enfermedad y la ansiedad que se deriva de esta relación contribuyen asimismo a explicar dichas actitudes hacia las personas enfermas, pues el cáncer, en diferentes culturas, habitualmente se asocia con temor y recelo, y tiene una connotación negativa asociada al sufrimiento y la muerte (Peiró et al, 2006;Rodríguez y Palacios, 2013), la que es reforzada en ciertos anuncios televisivos (Chapple, Ziebland y McPherson, 2004). Así, el distanciamiento social que las personas muestran hacia el paciente, el cual este percibe como discriminación (Feng et al, 2018), puede explicarse por el miedo a morir (Mosher y Danoff-Burg, 2007), de modo que esa conducta discriminatoria quizá tiene que ver con la habilidad para lidiar con la propia mortalidad (Mosher y Danoff-Burg 2007).…”