Background 

In the United States, most lung cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, limiting treatment options and impacting survival. This study presents patients’ perspectives on the complexity of factors influencing a lung cancer diagnosis. Lung cancer awareness regarding risks, symptoms, smoking behaviors, family history, and environmental factors can lead to preventative and early detection measures.

Objective 

The aim of this study was to explore lung cancer patient perspectives on lung cancer awareness within the context of an earlier study to understand sleep-wake disturbances in adults with non–small cell lung cancer.

Methods 

A content analysis was used to analyze the original deidentified longitudinal interview data collected from 26 patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Results 

Of the original 26 participants, 16 were included in this secondary data analysis. The participants were primarily females (n = 10) and Whites (n = 13), with ages ranging between 49 and 83 years. Half of the sample was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and most of the sample was on chemotherapy (n = 10). Two key themes were identified: the lung cancer discovery and the patient-physician relationship.

Conclusions 

Unspecific initial symptoms, lack of knowledge and screening, as well as fear of the diagnosis delayed seeking medical care. Patient-physician relationships were hindered by smoking-associated stigma, inadequate sharing of information, and lack of coordinated, holistic care. Positive communication strategies are critical between patients and providers to meet patients’ specific needs.

Implications for Practice 

Educational interventions that enhance lung cancer awareness may improve prevention and screening actions, improve timely healthcare intervention, and reduce incidence and mortality.

中文翻译：

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患者对诊断的看法：肺癌发现和提供者关系

背景 

在美国，大多数肺癌病例被诊断为晚期，这限制了治疗选择并影响了生存。本研究介绍了患者对影响肺癌诊断的因素的复杂性的看法。对肺癌的风险、症状、吸烟行为、家族史和环境因素的认识可以导致预防和早期发现措施。

客观的 

本研究的目的是在早期研究的背景下探讨肺癌患者对肺癌意识的看法，以了解成人非小细胞肺癌的睡眠-觉醒障碍。

方法 

使用内容分析来分析从 26 名诊断为肺癌的患者中收集的原始去标识化纵向访谈数据。

结果 

在最初的 26 名参与者中，有 16 名被纳入此二次数据分析。参与者主要是女性 (n = 10) 和白人 (n = 13)，年龄在 49 至 83 岁之间。一半样本被诊断出患有 IV 期肺癌，大部分样本正在接受化疗 (n = 10)。确定了两个关键主题：肺癌的发现和医患关系。

结论 

初始症状不明确，缺乏知识和筛查，以及害怕诊断延误就医。与吸烟相关的污名化、信息共享不充分以及缺乏协调的整体护理阻碍了医患关系。积极的沟通策略对于患者和提供者之间满足患者的特定需求至关重要。

实践意义 

提高肺癌意识的教育干预可以改善预防和筛查行动，改善及时的医疗保健干预，并降低发病率和死亡率。