Living With Cancer-Related Stigma Among Female Breast Cancer Survivors in Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Cancer-related stigma significantly affects breast cancer survivors' quality of life and treatment outcomes. In Indonesia, survivors often face stigmatization, yet evidence on the influence of personal and psychosocial factors remains limited. This study aimed to identify factors associated with stigma among breast cancer survivors. A cross-sectional design was used to recruit 280 female survivors from a tertiary cancer center in Padang, West Sumatra. Data were collected using validated instruments: the Breast Cancer Stigma Assessment Scale (BCSAS), the Body Image Scale (BIS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Guided by a conceptual framework, sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables were simultaneously entered into a multiple linear regression model. Backward elimination was applied. The analysis revealed that body image (β = -0.593, 95% CI [-1.726, -1.280]), social support (β = -0.258, 95% CI [-0.504, -0.248]), and age (β = -0.161, 95% CI [-0.401, -0.149]) were significantly associated with stigma, together explaining 62% of the variance (Adjusted R2 = 0.620, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the crucial role of psychosocial factors in shaping stigma experiences. Healthcare providers should incorporate body image enhancement, social support strengthening, and age-sensitive approaches into comprehensive care plans to reduce stigma and improve survivor outcomes.