Abstract :
[en] Introduction Cancer is a major health problem widespread in elderly, which is inscribed in ageism context1. Negative influence of the vision that older people possess on aging on mental and physical health2 is well established within “normal” aging. Consequently, we can ask ourselves what consequences age stigmas have in the realm of oncogeriatry. Moreover, cancerous patients face pathology-related stigmas because nowadays cancer still conveys a lot of negative representations.
Method A group of 120 patients aged of 65 years old and more suffering from cancer (lung, breast or gynecological) will be followed during one year (0-3-6-12 months). Different instruments measuring quality of life, depression, symptoms, etc. are used as well as questions about their vision of aging and of cancer. Clinical parameters (weight, biologicals values, comorbidity…) are recorded too. Currently, we have 63 patients (31 breast cancer, 14 gynecological cancer and 18 lung cancer with distinction between smokers and non-smokers). Our analysis is only on the baseline at this moment, without any distinction between kinds of cancers.
Results Double ANOVAs were used to analyze the data. A positive vision of aging is linked to a lower level of depression in comparison to a negative vision of aging (p = .04). Vision of pathology approach significance: less depression when vision is positive (p = .077). Concerning daily functioning (physical, emotional, social...), a positive vision of aging is related to a better functioning (p = .03) whereas vision of pathology has no effect. Eventually, a positive vision of aging and of cancer is related to a better quality of life (respectively p=.02, p=.002). Concerning clinical parameters, no results are observed.
Conclusion These first results suggest that the vision patients have themselves of the age and of cancer is in relation with subjective mental and physical health. As we observe influence on vision of aging as well as pathology, we can talk about “double stigmatization”. Needless to say, more studies are needed to analyze the direction of these observation and longitudinal data analysis could bring some answers: is stigmatization provoke a less good mental and physical health or is it because I have health problem that I have a negative vision of aging and of my disease?
1. Penson, R. T., et al. (2004). The Oncologist, 9, 343-352.
2. Levy, B. (2009). Curr Dir Psychol Sci, 18, 332-336.
Publisher :
John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Chichester, United Kingdom