Factors Affecting Stigma among Breast Cancer Patients: A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v8i6.2766Keywords:
body image, bresat cancer, psychosocial factors, self stigma, social support, stigmaAbstract
Breast cancer causes physical, psychological, and social impacts, including stigma related to body image changes, treatment experiences, limited social support, and negative societal perceptions. Stigma may worsen psychological well-being and hinder patients’ adaptation during treatment. This review aims to identify factors influencing stigma among breast cancer patients. A literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were performed in Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Taylor & Francis Online using the keywords “Breast Cancer” AND “Stigma” AND (“Determinants” OR “Factors”). Articles published between 2021 and 2025 in English or Indonesian were screened by title and abstract, followed by full-text assessment based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Of 3,645 identified articles, 11 met the inclusion criteria. Stigma was influenced by interacting individual, clinical, social, and cultural factors. Body image changes and limited family and social support were associated with higher stigma, while internalized negative views of cancer reinforced self-stigma. Stigma is a multidimensional issue shaped by individual, clinical, and sociocultural factors. Reducing stigma requires education, psychological support, family involvement, and greater public understanding to promote adaptive treatment experiences
References
Cho, J., Choi, E. K., Kim, S. Y., Shin, D. W., Cho, B. L., Kim, C. H., Koh, D. H., Guallar, E., Bardwell, W. A., & Park, J. H. (2013). Association between cancer stigma and depression among cancer survivors: A nationwide survey in Korea. Psycho-Oncology, 22(10), 2372–2378. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3302
Daryaafzoon, M., Tehrani, M. A., Zohrevandi, Z., Hamzehlouiyan, M., Ghotbi, A., & Ajami, S. Z. (2020). Translation and Factor Analysis of the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses 8-Item Version among Iranian Women with Breast Cancer. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 21(2), 449–455. https://doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.2.449
Dinas Kesehatan. (2024). Jumlah Perempuan Usia 30-50 Tahun Yang Dicurigai Kanker Leher Rahim dan Payudara Berdasarkan Kabupaten/Kota di Jawa Barat. https://opendata.jabarprov.go.id/id/dataset/jumlah-perempuan-usia-30-50-tahun-yang-dicurigai-kanker-leher-rahim-dan-payudara-berdasarkan-kabupatenkota-di-jawa-barat
KEMENKES. (2022). Kanker Payudara Paling Banyak di Indonesia, Kemenkes Targetkan Pemerataan Layanan Kesehatan. 02 Februari. https://kemkes.go.id/id/kanker-payudaya-paling-banyak-di-indonesia-kemenkes-targetkan-pemerataan-layanan-kesehatan
Khamidah, A. N., Indra, R. L., & Lita. (2019). Gambaran Stigma Pada Pasien Kanker Payudara Di Rsud Arifin Achmad Pekanbaru. Jurnal Keperawatan Abdurrab, 3(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.36341/jka.v3i1.668
Litvin, A. G., Halabi, S., & Bellizzi, K. M. (2023). Stigma related to breast cancer among women and men: The case of the Druze minority in Israel. Journal of Health Psychology, 28(2), 189–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053221115619
Nakash, O., Granek, L., Cohen, M., & Ben David, M. (2020). Association between cancer stigma, pain and quality of life in breast cancer. Psychology, Community & Health, 8(1), 275–287. https://doi.org/10.5964/pch.v8i1.310
Putri, F., Maisa, E. A., Khambri, D., Gautama, M. S. N., & Merdawati, L. (2025). Stigma sebagai Beban Psikososial pada Pasien Kanker Payudara: Studi Deskriptif. Jurnal Ners, 10(1), 391–398. https://doi.org/10.31004/jn.v10i1.52033
Saleh, M. N., Owuor, K., Helova, A., Rupani, S., Sharma, K., Karimi, N., Omedeo, I., Gondi, S., Annamalai, D., Gutnik, L., Abayo, I., & Turan, J. M. (2025). Pilot Study Assessing Stigma in Kenyan Women With Breast Cancer. JCO Global Oncology, (11), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1200/go-24-00479
Solikhah, S., Matahari, R., Utami, F. P., Handayani, L., & Marwati, T. A. (2020). Breast cancer stigma among Indonesian women: A case study of breast cancer patients. BMC Women’s Health, 20(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-00983-x
Tisnasari, I. A. M. A. S., Nuraini, T., & Afiyanti, Y. (2022). Stigma and discrimination against breast cancer survivors in indonesia: an interpretive phenomenology study. Jurnal Ners, 17(2), 183–189. https://doi.org/10.20473/jn.v17i2.39448
Tripathi, L., Datta, S. S., Agrawal, S. K., Chatterjee, S., & Ahmed, R. (2017). Stigma perceived by women following surgery for breast cancer. Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology, 38(2), 146–152. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_74_16
Trusson, D., & Pilnick, A. (2017). Between stigma and pink positivity: women’s perceptions of social interactions during and after breast cancer treatment. Sociology of Health and Illness, 39(3), 458–473. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12486
WHO. (2026). Breast Cancer. 3 Juli 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
Zhang, Y., Zhao, J., Jiang, N., Liu, Y., Wang, T., Yu, X., Wang, J., & Yu, J. (2022). The association between comorbidities and stigma among breast cancer survivors. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15460-8
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
