Stigma Attitudes of Faculty of Health Sciences Students Towards Cancer and Cancer Patients and Affecting Factors

Öz

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine university students' stigma attitudes towards cancer and cancer patients and the factors affecting them. Material and Methods: The sample of this cross-sectional descriptive study consisted of 354 students. Data were collected using a personal information form and the Attitudes Toward Cancer (Cancer Stigma) Questionnaire-Community Version. Results: Of the students who participated in the study, 65% were female and the majority (97.5%) were single. The mean age of the students was 21.75±9.67 years. There was a significant difference between gender and discrimination sub- dimension, revealing/disseminating cancer diagnosis sub-dimension and scale total mean score. It was found that the mean total score of the sub-dimension of the impossibility of recovery was higher in those who did not have chronic disease than in those who did. It was found that those who had cancer patients in their close relatives had higher mean total scores in the sub-dimension of impossibility of recovery compared to those who did not have cancer patients. It was found that as the mother's education level increased, negative attitudes towards 'impossibility of recovery' also increased. Similarly, as the father's education level increased, negative attitudes towards 'impossibility of recovery' also increased. It was also found that as the father's level of education increased, negative attitudes towards 'revealing and spreading the diagnosis of cancer' decreased. In terms of students, it was found that negative attitudes towards 'revealing and spreading the diagnosis of cancer' increased as the grade level increased. Conclusion: As a result of this study, it was found that there was a relationship between cancer stigma and gender, presence of chronic disease, class, parental education level, economic status, place of residence and department of study.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• University student
• cancer
• stigma

Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Kanser Ve Kanser Hastalarına Yönelik Stigma Tutumları Ve Etkileyen Etmenler

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı; üniversite öğrencilerinin kanser ve kanser hastalarına yönelik stigma tutumlarını ve bunları etkileyen etmenleri belirlemektir. Methot: Kesitsel tanımlayıcı nitelikteki bu çalışmanın örneklemini 354 öğrenci oluşturdu. Çalışmada veriler; Kişisel bilgi formu ve Kansere İlişkin Tutumları (Kanser Damgası) Ölçme Anketi- Toplum Versiyonu ile toplandı. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan öğrencilerin %65’i kadın olup büyük çoğunluğu (%97,5) bekardı. Öğrencilerin yaş ortalamasının 21,75±9,67 olduğu belirlendi. Cinsiyet ile ayrımcılık alt boyutu, kanser tanısını ortaya çıkarma/yayma alt boyutu ve ölçek toplam puan ortalaması arasında anlamlı fark olduğu belirlendi. Kronik hastalığı olmayanların olanlara göre iyileşmenin imkânsız olması alt boyutu toplam puan ortalamalarının daha yüksek olduğu saptandı. Yakın akrabalarında kanser hastası olanların olmayanlara göre iyileşmenin imkânsız olması alt boyutu toplam puan ortalamalarının daha yüksek olduğu saptandı. Annenin eğitim düzeyi arttıkça ‘iyileşmenin imkânsız olması’ yönündeki olumsuz tutumlarının da arttığı saptandı. Benzer şekilde babanın eğitim düzeyi arttıkça ‘iyileşmenin imkânsız olması’ yönündeki olumsuz tutumlarının da arttığı saptandı. Ayrıca babanın eğitim düzeyi arttıkça ‘kanser tanısını ortaya çıkarma, yayma’ yönündeki olumsuz tutumlarının azaldığı saptandı. Öğrenciler açısından bakılınca okunulan sınıf arttıkça ‘kanser tanısını ortaya çıkarma, yayma’ yönündeki olumsuz tutumlarının arttığı saptandı. Sonuç: Bu çalışma sonucunda; kanser stigması ile cinsiyet, kronik hastalık varlığı, okunulan sınıf, anne ve baba eğitim düzeyi, ekonomik durum, yaşanılan yer ve okunulan bölüm arasında ilişki olduğu saptanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Üniversite öğrencisi
• kanser
• stigma

Kaynakça

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