Background: Many individuals with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience high levels of stigma, which is associated with psychological distress and delayed help-seeking.
Purpose: To identify interventions aimed at reducing the stigma of lung cancer or COPD and to synthesize evidence on their efficacy.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for relevant records until March 1, 2024. Studies were eligible if they described an intervention designed to reduce internalized or external stigma associated with COPD or lung cancer and excluded if they did not report empirical findings.
Results: We identified 476 papers, 11 of which were eligible for inclusion. Interventions included educational materials, guided behavior change programs, and psychotherapeutic approaches. Interventions targeted people diagnosed with, or at high risk of developing COPD or lung cancer or clinical staff. No interventions that aimed to reduce stigma associated with lung cancer or COPD in the general community were identified. Most interventions yielded a statistically significant reduction in at least one measure of stigma or a decrease in qualitatively reported stigma.
Conclusions: The emerging literature on interventions to reduce stigma associated with lung cancer and COPD suggests that such interventions can reduce internalized stigma, but larger evaluations using randomized controlled trials are needed. Most studies were in the pilot stage and required further evaluation. Research is needed on campaigns and interventions to reduce stigma at the societal level to reduce exposure to external stigma amongst those with COPD and lung cancer.
Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Lung cancer; Review; Stigma.
Many people with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience stigma, such as negative judgments from others or feelings of guilt or shame. This can lead to feelings of distress and delays in seeking medical support. We reviewed existing studies that evaluated interventions aiming to reduce the stigma associated with these diseases. The results showed that there are programs and strategies that may reduce the stigma that patients with these diseases experience. The most promising programs were psychosocial interventions that included established psychological methods, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. However, the evidence is limited because of the small number of studies and the lack of randomized trials. Most of the evidence focuses on the individual with the illness, and future research is needed on how to reduce the stigma associated with these illnesses at a community or societal level.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.