Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2013
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph. D.
Department
Nursing
Degree Program
Nursing, PhD
Committee Chair
Hermann, Carla Penrod
Author's Keywords
Lung cancer; Help-seeking behavior; Revised Healthcare System Distrust Scale; Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale
Subject
Help-seeking behavior; Cancer--Patients; Lungs--Cancer
Abstract
Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer worldwide primarily because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. One factor that can influence advanced stage lung cancer diagnosis is delayed help-seeking behavior in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer. Delayed help-seeking behavior has been investigated in acute cardiovascular events and breast cancer, but there is little evidence on specific factors that influence the timing of help-seeking behavior in lung cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, and smoking status on the timing of help-seeking behavior in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer. This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design with 93 participants using the Revised Healthcare System Distrust Scale, Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale, and investigator-developed Timing of Help-Seeking Behavior and Demographic Questionnaire to assess the variables of interest. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess the ability of healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, and smoking status to predict greater time to seek help in lung cancer patients, after controlling for annual income, perceived financial status, ethnicity, and social desirability. In Step 1, ethnicity and perceived financial status explained 10% of the variance in time to seek help. After entry of healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, and smoking status at Step 2, the total variance explained by the model as a whole was 23% of the variance in the time to seek help in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer. Significant findings from this study include the effect of healthcare system distrust, lung cancer stigma, and ethnicity on help-seeking behavior in individuals with lung cancer symptoms. The findings indicate a critical need for public health awareness that targets increasing awareness of lung cancer symptoms, decreasing lung cancer stigma and healthcare system distrust, recognizing the significant proportion of lung cancer patients whom have never smoked, and decreasing delays in help-seeking behaviors in individuals with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer.
Recommended Citation
Carter-Harris, Lisa, "Influential variables on the timing of help-seeking behavior in lung cancer patients." (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 219.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/219
