“Our culture’s tendency to frame certain illnesses as character defects, as opposed to complex phenomena with genetic and psychosocial components, is widespread and carries serious consequences,” Dr. Bhargava wrote.
She said smokers are “shamed more vocally” for having lung cancer than other patients who develop diseases strongly linked to patient behavior or lifestyle. Dr. Bhargava also said she’s witnessed how this stigma alters the care pulmonary patients receive at her practice.
Physicians have a responsibility to promote healthy behaviors and offer patients help to quit harmful habits, she acknowledged.
“But if our patients receive a cancer diagnosis, we need to care for them with a spirit of unconditional empathy and advocacy,” Dr. Bhargava concluded. “Our patients are more than what they have ingested or inhaled.”
More articles on patient engagement:
South Carolina hospital nurses sing ‘Let It Go’ to calm cancer patient in OR
Facebook use linked to greater awareness of physical ailments, study finds
Viewpoint: Why removing access to healthcare is a moral issue
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