The effect of advocacy for overcoming stigma on posttraumatic growth: Focusing on childhood cancer survivors.

STEREOTYPES; ATTITUDES toward illness; INTERVIEWING; QUESTIONNAIRES; PATIENT advocacy; PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; THEMATIC analysis; MEDICAL coding; CANCER patient psychology; TUMORS; DATA analysis software; DISCRIMINATION (Sociology); SOCIAL stigma; PSYCHOLOGY of the sick; SELF-perception

The aim of this study was to investigate both strategies for coping with stigma and the effects of participating in advocacy. The participants were childhood cancer survivors who had been diagnosed before the age of 18 years who had completed treatment. An embedded-design mixed-methods approach was used with 30 interview scripts, and 145 survey results were collected. Coping strategies for the stigma of cancer were “secrecy, avoid stereotypes, and discrimination” and “disclosure of medical history.” Participation in advocacy confirmed self-worth, helped in achievement, and promoted social skills. Quantitative analysis showed that greater advocacy participation was associated with higher levels of posttraumatic growth. This study could provide support for advocacy among childhood cancer survivors by demonstrating its positive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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