Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of stigma in lung cancer patients and analyze its correlation with self-efficacy and social support. Methods A total of 275 patients with lung cancer from a provincial-level tertiary grade A hospital from February to August 2017 were selected as the study subjects and investigated by using the general information questionnaire,Chinese Version of Lung Cancer Patient Stigma Scale, General Self-efficacy Questionnaire and Social Support Rating Scale. Factors affecting stigma in patients with lung cancer were analyzed by multiple stepwise linear regression analysis. Results The stigma score of lung cancer patients was 70.58±14.64, which suggested a moderately high level of stigma. The stigma score between different age, education background, residence, being employed or not, personal monthly income, disease analysis, disease course, whether with chronic diseases or not, whether smoking or not and image change caused by conscious treatment were statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that general self-efficacy and social support were negatively correlated with stigma (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that monthly personal income, disease stage, whether with chronic diseases or not, self-efficacy and social support were important influence factors of stigma in patients with lung cancer (P<0.05), which could explain 52.7% of the variance. Conclusion The level of stigma in patients with lung cancer is high, and it is closely related to the patient’s personal income, disease stage, whether with chronic diseases or not, self-efficacy and social support. More emphasis should go to the stigma and adequate medical support will benefit improving patients’ self-efficacy and relieving the stigma of the patients.

Key words: lung cancer, stigma, self-efficacy, social support