Effect of stigma on family relationship and loneliness in breast cancer patients

Abstract Objective: To explore the mediating effect of stigma between family relationship and loneliness in breast cancer patients. Methods: A total of 339 breast cancer patients were selected using a convenience sampling method from eight hospitals in Anhui Province and surveyed using the Family Caring Index questionnaire, Social Impact Scale, and UCLA Loneliness Scale from December 2021 to July 2022. Results: Univariate analysis showed significant differences in family relationship scores according to age (years), body mass index (BMI), education, work status, marital status, time since surgery (years), and adherence to functional exercise of the affected limb after surgery (all P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that family relationship was significantly negatively correlated with stigma and loneliness (P < 0.01), and loneliness and stigma were significantly positively correlated (P < 0.01). There was a partial mediating effect of stigma between family relationship and loneliness, and its mediating effect accounted for 34.63% of the total effect. Conclusion: Family relationship indirectly affects loneliness in breast cancer patients through stigma. This suggests that care workers should pay attention to family relationship due to its importance for patients’ recovery, increase intra-family resources to enhance the level of family resilience, and seek to reduce stigma related to patients’ illness, thereby reducing the experience of loneliness.