Stigmatization Attitudes and Affecting Factors of Parents with and Without Children with Cancer: A Cross-sectional Study

This study examines whether encountering cancer makes a difference and the perspectives and attitudes of parents of children with cancer. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with parents who applied to the emergency department of a hospital. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form and the "Cancer Attitudes Questionnaire (Cancer Stigma)-Community Version." Mean, minimum, maximum, number, and percentages and comparison analyses (chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests) were performed. The significance level was a 95% confidence interval. The study was completed with a total of 362 parents, 120 of whom had children with cancer. Of the parents, 82.9% are mothers. The scale score of those who had a child with cancer was 3.34 and 3.22 for those who did not have a child with cancer. The scale score was affected by the number of children (p=0.008), mother's occupation (p=0.00), parents' educational status (mother p=0.05; father p=0.03), family type (p=0.00), family economic status (p=0.02), religious perception (p=0.01), child's age (p=0.001), gender (p=0.00), type of treatment (p=0.00), and previous hospital experience (p=0.006). The findings revealed that parents' attitudes towards cancer were negative regardless of whether they experienced cancer or not. Personal characteristics such as family type, parental occupation, and educational status, as well as disease-related characteristics such as the type of the child's disease (acute or chronic) and the type of treatment, affect the direction of attitudes. It is recommended that stigmatization be included in individual and community education on health. Especially for patients, the feelings and effects of stigmatization can be included. It is also recommended to include an empathic approach in education.