Portraying a grim illness: lung cancer in novels, poems, films, music, and paintings

Abstract

PurposeWe studied how lung cancer is represented in five art genres: novels, poems, films, music, and paintings, in order to put lung cancer in a biopsychosocial perspective. The Common Sense Model is the theoretical basis: illness perceptions regarding lung cancer are examined in exemplars of the art genres.MethodsLiterature searches, websites, and personal files formed the database. They produced a fairly limited number of novels, poems, films, music pieces, and paintings with lung cancer as core element.ResultsA resigned, rather depressive response associated with great emotional turmoil to the diagnosis of lung cancer, its treatment and dismal outcome, figure rather prominently in the identified sources.ConclusionsLiving with lung cancer is scarcely portrayed in novels, poems, film, music, and paintings. When portrayed, a depressive and resigned attitude colors the illness perceptions. Elements from the Medical Humanities (e.g., expressive writing, photovoice, painting) deserve further study in order to examine whether they help improve the quality of life of patients with lung cancer.

Mainstreaming medical humanities in continuing professional development and postgraduate training

“…34,35 Similarly, the arts can be used to illuminate the experience of the person who is ill (sometimes literally giving a non-verbal client a language through which to express themselves) and support clinicians in expressing or reflecting on their own experiences. The broad range of films and novels on health themes attests to the power of the arts as a means of reflection on what it is to be human and to be ill. 36,37 The processes for ensuring congruence between arts and health and clinical care and environments is as yet relatively unformed but ideally should seek to better understand the arts, culture and leisure engagement of patients: helpful guidance on curatorship in arts and health is emerging. 32,38 Examples of such work through engagement of doctors, nurses and patients with an arts director and range of artists in Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin include a triptych of new compositions by composer Ian Wilson, reflecting on the major illnesses of older age; a mental health film festival where each film was followed by discussion facilitated by a psychiatrist and a film maker; a mural project in the paediatric unit and a hospital workplace choir for staff.…”

Heart in art: cardiovascular diseases in novels, films, and paintings

“…However, none have specifically considered artistic representations of cardiovascular diseases. In earlier papers we studied how respiratory disorders and lung cancer are depicted in various art forms [6]. In this paper we consider the representation of cardiovascular diseases in novels, films, and paintings.…”