title: Public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients: a national survey in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regardless of improved survival rate, negative images and myths about cancer still abound. Cancer stigma may reduce patients' life opportunities resulting in social isolation, decreased level of emotional well-being, and poor health outcomes. This study was aimed to evaluate public attitudes toward cancer and cancer patients and people's willingness to disclose cancer diagnosis in South Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in August and September 2009. A nationally representative sample of 1011 men and women with no history of cancer was recruited. A set of 12 questions grouped into three domains (impossibility of recovery, cancer stereotypes, and discrimination) was used to assess public attitudes toward cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found 58.5% of study participants agreed that it is impossible to treat cancer regardless of highly developed medical science, 71.8% agreed that cancer patients would not be able to make contributions to society, and 23.5% agreed that they would avoid working with persons who have cancer. The proportions of people who said that that they would not disclose a cancer diagnosis to family, friends or neighbors, or coworkers were 30.2%, 47.0%, and 50.7%, respectively. Negative attitudes toward cancer were strongly associated with lower willingness to disclose a cancer diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Negative attitudes, stereotypes, and discriminating attitudes toward cancer and people affected by the disease were very common in spite of clinical progress and improved survivorship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings emphasize the need for health policy and social changes to provide a more supportive environment for cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Education Center, Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jcho@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Juhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Eun-Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Im-Ryung
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hyun-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eliseo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guallar
authors.forename: Young Mog
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012650:Self Disclosure; D057545:Social Stigma; D012944:Social Support