1689TiP - The social stigma of smokers and patients with lung cancer: Detection of phoenomenon and testing of EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) intervention

Background

One of the unmet needs in Lung Cancer Care is the Stigma of patients due to the smoking habits; the condition of current smoker or former smoker causes the perception of the one’s incorrect lifestyle so, more than in other pathologies, patients with lung cancer are burdened with feelings of guilt and self-devaluation in anticipation of a negative social judgment. In addition to detecting this phenomenon, the study aims to psychologically support lung cancer patients, as well as smokers who belong to the Antismoking Centre in our Institute and who present with high levels of distress, through a psychotherapeutic path according to the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) model which could allow the reworking of traumatic or emotionally stressful moments, linked to the phases of the disease and to the personal history. The EMDR is one of the techniques that support smokers in quitting; the processing of the experience that occurs with EMDR allows the subject, through desensitization and cognitive restructuring, to change perspective and adopt more appropriate behaviors.

Trial design

Objectives of this study are the following: 1) to document the presence of stigma in current smokers or former smokers with lung cancer and subjects who undertake a smoke cessation program ; 2) to measure the correlation between stigma, level of anxiety, depression, quality of life and psychophysical well-being in the different phases of the disease starting from diagnosis and throughout treatment process;3) to investigate the impact and the efficacy of the EMDR model through the psychological re-evaluation of stress, depression and anxiety. The sociocultural, psychological factors and lifestyles of the participants will be investigated, including any gender-related differences regarding the Lung Cancer stigma, smoking habits and the outcome of a tobacco cessation process. A number of 45 subjects is planned to be recruited.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.