Cancer Stigma, Distress, and Cancer Coping in Relation to the Quality of Life Among Patients with Lung Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.
- 1Department of Nursing, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea.
- 2Department of Nursing, Kyungnam University, Changwon 51767, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Patients with lung cancer often experience impaired quality of life because of symptom burden and psychosocial difficulties. Cancer stigma and distress are associated with poorer quality of life, whereas adaptive coping may support psychological adjustment. This study examined the relationships among cancer stigma, distress, cancer coping, and quality of life and identified factors associated with quality of life in patients with lung cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study included 168 patients with lung cancer receiving inpatient or outpatient care at a university hospital in the Republic of Korea. Data were collected from 1 August to 1 September 2025, using structured self-report questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression were performed. Results: The mean scores for cancer stigma, distress, cancer coping, and quality of life were 46.43 ± 8.46, 4.49 ± 2.53, 56.43 ± 15.07, and 74.02 ± 14.93, respectively; 57.1% of participants reported clinically significant distress. Quality of life was negatively correlated with cancer stigma (r = -0.63, p < 0.001) and distress (r = -0.76, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with cancer coping (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). Cancer coping, current activity level, and distress were independently associated with quality of life. The final model explained 75.2% of the variance, with cancer coping showing the largest standardized coefficient. Conclusions: Better cancer coping, higher activity levels, and lower distress were associated with better quality of life. Psychosocial nursing care should support adaptive coping, functional activity, and distress management.
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BibTeX
@article{pyo2026cancer,
title = {{Cancer Stigma, Distress, and Cancer Coping in Relation to the Quality of Life Among Patients with Lung Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.}},
author = {Ji-Yeon Pyo and Seungkyoung Yang},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14193163},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881606},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Cancer Stigma, Distress, and Cancer Coping in Relation to the Quality of Life Among Patients with Lung Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.
AU - Ji-Yeon Pyo
AU - Seungkyoung Yang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14193163
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881606
AB - Background/Objectives: Patients with lung cancer often experience impaired quality of life because of symptom burden and psychosocial difficulties. Cancer stigma and distress are associated with poorer quality of life, whereas adaptive coping may support psychological adjustment. This study examined the relationships among cancer stigma, distress, cancer coping, and quality of life and identified factors associated with quality of life in patients with lung cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study included 168 patients with lung cancer receiving inpatient or outpatient care at a university hospital in the Republic of Korea. Data were collected from 1 August to 1 September 2025, using structured self-report questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression were performed. Results: The mean scores for cancer stigma, distress, cancer coping, and quality of life were 46.43 ± 8.46, 4.49 ± 2.53, 56.43 ± 15.07, and 74.02 ± 14.93, respectively; 57.1% of participants reported clinically significant distress. Quality of life was negatively correlated with cancer stigma (r = -0.63, p < 0.001) and distress (r = -0.76, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with cancer coping (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). Cancer coping, current activity level, and distress were independently associated with quality of life. The final model explained 75.2% of the variance, with cancer coping showing the largest standardized coefficient. Conclusions: Better cancer coping, higher activity levels, and lower distress were associated with better quality of life. Psychosocial nursing care should support adaptive coping, functional activity, and distress management.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -