Cultural influences on stigma and coping in Oral cancer patients: a cross-cultural perspective.
Saved in:
| Title: | Cultural influences on stigma and coping in Oral cancer patients: a cross-cultural perspective. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Kamble, Abhijeet (AUTHOR), Ram, Rangila (AUTHOR), Sahore, Manish (AUTHOR), Ghezta, And Narotam (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Psychology, Health & Medicine. Aug2026, Vol. 31 Issue 7, p1713-1722. 10p. |
| Subjects: | Competency assessment (Law), Squamous cell carcinoma, Cross-sectional method, Statistical correlation, Cultural awareness, Psycho-oncology, Public hospitals, Scale analysis (Psychology), Self-evaluation, Health services accessibility, Risk assessment, Mouth tumors, Academic medical centers, Psychological distress, Data analysis, Culture, Head & neck cancer, Questionnaires, Smoking, Psychological adaptation, Help-seeking behavior, Population geography, Anxiety, Disease prevalence, Tertiary care, Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U Test, Longitudinal method, Rural conditions, Metropolitan areas, Psychological stress, Quality of life, Research, Community life, Friedman test (Statistics), Analysis of variance, Statistics, Guilt (Psychology), Shame, Cancer patient psychology, Comparative studies, Psychological tests, Treatment delay (Medicine), Social support, Counseling, Data analysis software, Discrimination (Sociology), Social stigma, Mental depression |
| Geographic Terms: | India |
| Abstract: | Background: Cultural beliefs shape how oral cancer patients perceive their illness, seek support, and manage psychological distress, particularly amid tobacco-related stigma. This study examines the role of cultural context in stigma, help-seeking behaviors, and mental health outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, comparing rural and urban subcultures in India and referencing global literature. Materials and methods: We conducted a prospective study at H.P. Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, enrolling 56 OSCC patients from rural and urban backgrounds. We assessed psychological burden and quality of life using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and EORTC QLQ-H&N43 at diagnosis, two weeks, one month, and six months post-treatment. We analyzed data to identify correlations between stigma, subcultural context, mental health, and help-seeking behavior. Results: Rural patients reported significantly higher stigma and delayed help-seeking, associated with increased depression and stress over time. Urban patients exhibited proactive coping and better quality of life, despite similar tobacco-related stigma. Cross-cultural comparisons indicate that shame and stigma in tobacco-prevalent societies delay care and worsen psychological morbidity. Conclusion: Stigma rooted in cultural beliefs hinders timely diagnosis and psychological resilience in OSCC patients, especially in rural settings. Culturally sensitive psycho-oncology frameworks are needed to address stigma, promote mental health, and enhance help-seeking to improve oncologic and psychosocial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Psychology, Health & Medicine is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
Be the first to leave a comment!
