Hope, Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics as Predictors of Stigma-Related Negative Discrimination Experiences of Patients With Primary Malignant Brain Tumor

BACKGROUND: A brain tumor can cause specific dysfunctions including psychosocial problems, and neurological, cognitive, mental, personality, behavioral, body image, and self-concept changes. Hope is reported in previous studies as an important and protective factor during the difficult duration of the disease. The purpose of this study is to examine hope and related factors as predictors of the stigma-induced negative discrimination experience of patients with primary malignant brain tumor. METHODS: The relational research method was used. The study was conducted in neurosurgery and oncology clinics and outpatient clinics of a university hospital in Southeastern Turkey between July 2018 and March 2020. The research data were collected using an information form, the Discrimination and Stigma Scale, and the Dispositional Hope Scale. The research sample consisted of 124 patients with primary malignant brain tumor. The data were analyzed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The average age of the patients with primary malignant brain tumor was 46.64 (+/- 12.00) years. Of all the patients, 61.3% were male, and 25% received radiotherapy. When the negative discrimination experience of patients with primary malignant brain tumor was examined, age (beta = -0.244, P = .004), total dispositional hope (beta = -0.225, P = .009), and currently receiving radiotherapy (beta = 0.169, P = .048) were determined to be significant predictors. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the importance of hope, age, and treatment type in the negative discrimination experience of patients with primary malignant brain tumor. Initiatives taking hope into account should be planned by nurses and healthcare professionals to reduce patients' experience of negative discrimination.