Attitudes Toward Cancer and Cancer Patients in an Urban Iranian Population.
BACKGROUND
Because of the significant incidence and mortality of cancer in Iran, a Comprehensive National Cancer Control Program for the prevention and early detection of cancer was launched in 2007. However, cancer awareness and screening rates in Iran did not improve. This study aimed to evaluate public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients in Iran.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 953 non-institutionalized individuals in Isfahan, Iran, from November 2014 to February 2015. We collected data on attitudes toward cancer in three domains (impossibility of recovery, cancer stereotypes, and discrimination), as well as questions on willingness to disclose a cancer diagnosis.


RESULTS
Among all participants, 33.9% agreed that it is very difficult to regain one's health after a cancer diagnosis, 17.4% felt uncomfortable with a cancer patient, and 26.9% said that they would avoid marrying people whose family members had cancer. While 88.9% of study participants said that cancer patients deserve to be protected in society, 53.3% and 48.4% of participants agreed that they would not disclose a cancer diagnosis to neighbors and coworkers, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Negative attitudes with respect to impossibility of recovery and discrimination toward cancer and cancer patients were common among urban Iranians. Most people would not disclose a cancer diagnosis to others in spite of advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, reflecting unfavorable attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients in society. Successful implementation of cancer awareness and prevention programs in Iran may require social changes based on adequate information on cancer and cancer patients.


IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients are an important factor affecting cancer control programs as well as quality of life and recovery of cancer patients. The issue has not been studied in Iran and the surrounding countries in the Middle East. This is the first report presented on the subject. These findings can be used by health policy makers, health managers, and clinicians for better practice.
['Badihian|Shervin|S|', 'Choi|Eun-Kyung|EK|', 'Kim|Im-Ryung|IR|', 'Parnia|Aidin|A|', 'Manouchehri|Navid|N|', 'Badihian|Negin|N|', 'Tanha|Jila M|JM|', 'Guallar|Eliseo|E|', 'Cho|Juhee|J|']
D000328:Adult D003695:Delivery of Health Care D055088:Early Detection of Cancer D005260:Female D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006801:Humans D007492:Iran D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009369:Neoplasms D010361:Patients D011788:Quality of Life D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014505:Urban Population
Cancer awareness Cancer stigma Disparities Public education Social support