2011 Lung Cancer Research Foundation Annual Grant Program
Jamie Ostroff, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research Project:
Development and formative evaluation of a patient support intervention to facilitate disclosure of lung cancer diagnosis to family and friends
Summary:
Smokers are often stigmatized as carrying personal responsibility for the disease when diagnosed with lung cancer. This leads to increased stress and coping difficulties during diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Ostroff studied the prevalence of this setting, created an interventional tool to assist in the disclosure of the diagnosis in smokers, and tested this intervention in clinical settings.