A Cross-Sectional Study On Impact Of Shame and Stigma in Post Operative Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64252/c85qp181Keywords:
Head and neck cancer, stigma, shame, psychosocial impact, rural health, resection and reconstruction, adjuvant treatmentAbstract
Background: Management of Head and neck cancers (HNCs) often require extensive surgical resection and reconstructions that can lead to disfigurement, difficulties with speech and swallowing and various functional impairments, which can have lasting psychosocial effects. Survivors frequently report feelings of shame and stigma, especially in rural areas where cultural attitudes may heighten psychological distress. Even though there have been improvement in clinical outcomes, the emotional and social aspects of survivorship are still not fully addressed.
Objectives: To assess the impact of shame and stigma on emotional and social well being in long term head and neck cancer survivors following major resection, reconstruction and adjuvant treatment using the Shame and Stigma Scale (SSS).
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 113 HNC survivors after a minimum of 12 months after completion of treatment in tertiary care area. Participants filled out validated version of the 20-item Shame and Stigma Scale translated in local language. We analyzed the data using SPSS version 25 to understand the distribution of stigma levels and the contributions from different domains.
Results: Most participants (60.2%) reported experiencing moderate levels of stigma, while 21.2% indicated high levels. The changes in appearance and aesthetics were the biggest contributors (40.5%) to the overall stigma score, followed by feelings related to stigma, regret, and issues with speech, difficulty in swallowing, dribbling of saliva, dependency on tracheostomy tube. These findings underscore the persistent psychosocial challenges that survivors face even a year after their treatment.
Conclusion: There is a significant burden of shame and stigma among long-term HNC survivors, highlighting the need for psychological support to be integrated into routine survivorship care, particularly in culturally sensitive rural environments.
