Child, adolescent, young adult survivors of cancer (CAYAs) experience social and psychological hardships after treatment completion. As CAYAs transition to adult contexts, their cancer identity and its associated public perceptions may shape how they are treated in these settings. It is critical to understand the content of these beliefs in same-aged peers to help CAYAs navigate them. To explore the associations and drivers that underlie childhood cancer stereotype formation and stigma for CAYA survivors, college students listed their associations with this concept and completed measures of familiarity and stigma.
Methods:
We used freelisting to explore cultural models of childhood cancer. College students (N = 125) wrote down up to 15 words that they associated with childhood cancer. Participants also completed the Level of Contact Report and the Family Questionnaire, adapted for CAYA cancer, to assess stereotype differences based on established contributors to cancer-related stigma.
Results:
Participants (mean age = 20.77 years, standard deviation = 5.15 years) listed the most common diagnoses and treatments. Those with lower familiarity (no personal contact; n = 79) more frequently mentioned organizations. Those with greater familiarity (personal contact, n = 46) more frequently listed symptoms. Participant lists also differed based on family stigma toward CAYA cancer (mean[SD] = 24.11 [6.91], range = 12–73). Participants with higher stigmatization scores (median split at ≥ 24) listed more media-driven, warrior-focused imagery, while participants with lower stigma scores (<24) listed empathetic terms more frequently.
Conclusion:
These findings illustrate the influence of media and cancer-focused organizations in shaping cultural domains of CAYA cancer in a population that has low personal familiarity with the disease.
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