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Abstract
The ideology and beliefs have a profound impact upon once lifestyle. Economic status, level of knowledge and awareness, beliefs and notions, social support system available, constitutes important determinants impacting to copeup strategies for cancer victims. The present study was conducted to assess the fatalism and stigma amongst cancer patients in south western Punjab. Two districts i.e. Bathinda and Sri Muktsar Sahib were randomly selected. Majority (87.5%) of the respondents believe that in cancer patients attributed cancer has caused due to their karmas. Forty six per cent of the respondents believed that cancer is contagious. One third (34.3%) of the respondents and their family members used the term ‘cancer’ as they believed that taking the name of disease had nothing to do with its curability versus non-curability or to describe the dreaded disease from which they were suffering. One third of the male respondents perceived imbalanced diet and sedentary lifestyle behind as a reasoning causing cancer and half of the male respondents and significantly majority of the female respondents (93.3%) perceived substance abuse as a reason behind causing cancer in the region. The study suggests that NGOs, religious bodies and philanthropists can contribute significantly towards treatment, management and rehabilitation of cancer victims. The use of recommended doses of pesticides/ insecticides and fertilizers and unprecedented use of chemicals should be monitored through government agencies and guilty should be punished.
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References
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- Katz, I., Hass, R. G., Parisi, N., Astone, J., McEvaddy, D., & Lucido, D. J. (1987). Lay people's and health care personnel's perceptions of cancer, AIDS, cardiac, and diabetic patients. Psychological reports, 60(2), 615-629. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1987.60.2.615
- Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2019). Socio-Economic and psychological consequence of cancer from patient’s perspective in South-Western Punjab. Journal of Pharmo and Photochemical, 4, SP4, 116-122.
- Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2020). Quality of Health Services and State Intervention for cancer in South Western Region of Punjab. Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development, 15(2), 339-346. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-6736.2020.00008
- Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2021). Treatment seeking behavior of cancer patients in south-western Punjab. Journal of Agricultural Development and Policy, 30(2), 101-108.
- Kaur, R. (2013). An anthropological study of socio-cultural dimensions and health care of cancer patients with special reference to Malwa region of Punjab. Ph.D. dissertation. Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
- Kaur, R. (2015). Cultural beliefs, cancer and stigma: experiencesof patients from Punjab, India. Ethno medicine, (9) 247-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09735070.2015.11905442
- Kishore, J., Ahmad, I., Kaur, R., & Mohanta, P. K. (2008). Beliefs and perceptions about cancers among patients attending radiotherapy OPD in Delhi, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 9(1), 155-158.
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- Mayo, R. M., Ureda, J. R., & Parker, V. G. (2001). Importance of fatalism in understanding mammography screening in DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J074v13n01_05
- rural elderly women. Journal of women & aging, 13(1), 57-72.
- Pahwa, M., Babu, N., & Bhatnagar, S. (2005). Fighting cancer is half the battle...living life is the other half. Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, (1), 98- 102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1482.16709
- Pargement, K. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping. The Guilford Press, New York.
- Rai, A., Pradhan, S., Mishra, C. P., Kumar, A., & Singh, T. B. (2014). Health beliefs of women suffering from cancer: A hospital based study. Indian Journal of Prevention and Social Medince, (45), 1-2.
- Rangnekar, S. (2012). Gearing up for a karma revolution. The Times of India (English daily newspaper) August 24, pp: 12.
- Robb, K. A., Simon, A. E., Miles, A., & Wardle, J. (2014). Public perceptions of cancer: A qualitative study of the balance of positive and negative beliefs. BMJ Open 4:e005434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005434
- World Health Organization, (2012). GLOBOCAN, Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide in 2012. Lyon, France, International Agency for Research on Cancer. http://globocan.iarc.fr/pages/fact_sheets_cancer. Aspx.
References
Beeken, R. J., Simon, A. E., von Wagner, C., Whitaker, K. L., & Wardle, J. (2011). Cancer fatalism: deterring early presentation and increasing social inequalities?. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers, 20(10), 2127-2131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-0437
Chataut, R., Pandey, A., & Rao, N. S. (2015). Treatment seeking behaviour and cost of care among cancer patients in Nepal. Hindu, 79, 79.
Corrigan, P.W. (2014).The Stigma of Disease and Disability: Understanding Causes and Overcoming Injustices. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association, pp: 165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/14297-000
Daher, M. (2012). Cultural beliefs and values in cancer patients. Annals of oncology, 23, iii66-iii69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mds091
Katz, I., Hass, R. G., Parisi, N., Astone, J., McEvaddy, D., & Lucido, D. J. (1987). Lay people's and health care personnel's perceptions of cancer, AIDS, cardiac, and diabetic patients. Psychological reports, 60(2), 615-629. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1987.60.2.615
Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2019). Socio-Economic and psychological consequence of cancer from patient’s perspective in South-Western Punjab. Journal of Pharmo and Photochemical, 4, SP4, 116-122.
Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2020). Quality of Health Services and State Intervention for cancer in South Western Region of Punjab. Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development, 15(2), 339-346. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-6736.2020.00008
Kaur, L., & Sharma, S. (2021). Treatment seeking behavior of cancer patients in south-western Punjab. Journal of Agricultural Development and Policy, 30(2), 101-108.
Kaur, R. (2013). An anthropological study of socio-cultural dimensions and health care of cancer patients with special reference to Malwa region of Punjab. Ph.D. dissertation. Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Kaur, R. (2015). Cultural beliefs, cancer and stigma: experiencesof patients from Punjab, India. Ethno medicine, (9) 247-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09735070.2015.11905442
Kishore, J., Ahmad, I., Kaur, R., & Mohanta, P. K. (2008). Beliefs and perceptions about cancers among patients attending radiotherapy OPD in Delhi, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 9(1), 155-158.
Knapp, S., Marziliano, A., & Moyer, A. (2014). Identity threat and stigma in cancer patients. Health psychology open, 1(1), 2055102914552281. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102914552281
Mayo, R. M., Ureda, J. R., & Parker, V. G. (2001). Importance of fatalism in understanding mammography screening in DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J074v13n01_05
rural elderly women. Journal of women & aging, 13(1), 57-72.
Pahwa, M., Babu, N., & Bhatnagar, S. (2005). Fighting cancer is half the battle...living life is the other half. Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, (1), 98- 102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1482.16709
Pargement, K. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping. The Guilford Press, New York.
Rai, A., Pradhan, S., Mishra, C. P., Kumar, A., & Singh, T. B. (2014). Health beliefs of women suffering from cancer: A hospital based study. Indian Journal of Prevention and Social Medince, (45), 1-2.
Rangnekar, S. (2012). Gearing up for a karma revolution. The Times of India (English daily newspaper) August 24, pp: 12.
Robb, K. A., Simon, A. E., Miles, A., & Wardle, J. (2014). Public perceptions of cancer: A qualitative study of the balance of positive and negative beliefs. BMJ Open 4:e005434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005434
World Health Organization, (2012). GLOBOCAN, Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide in 2012. Lyon, France, International Agency for Research on Cancer. http://globocan.iarc.fr/pages/fact_sheets_cancer. Aspx.