Stigma and Bladder Cancer UK infographic with Fight Bladder Cancer

Together with our member organisation in the United Kingdom – Fight Bladder Cancer, we developed a new infographic Stigma: The Invisible side of bladder cancer – When it comes to stigma, bladder cancer patients reported primarily worrying about disease disadvantage, self-stigma, and external stigma. The infographic features data from 312 patients and caregivers of which 69 are from the United Kingdom and have shared their experiences in a survey and qualitative interviews.

The infographic features the following themes:

• The disease disadvantages
• The Experience of internal stigma
• The Experience of external stigma

The reason for conducting the research was to gain insights that will deepen understanding of the disadvantage in bladder cancer for patients and their caregivers. To specifically understand if and how this stigma exists within the bladder cancer patient community, understand what stigma is, how it manifests and the different types of stigma experience and explore how reported stigma evolves over the course of the disease.

The infographic is also available as an international version here.

Helpful tool for advocacy and awareness

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition also developed an advocacy one-page guide alongside the infographic (international and local versions) to provide guidance for patient groups on how to utilise Stigma: The invisible side of bladder cancer infographic for advocacy and awareness. These suggestions can help you think further on how to best raise awareness in your local setting with healthcare professionals, stakeholders and broader community.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please get in touch with us at info@worldbladdercancer.org  or with Fight Bladder Cancer at info@fightbladdercancer.co.uk.

Disclaimer: The infographic was developed by the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition with the financial support of Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd, using the data from the “Patient and caregiver survey on stigma and disease disadvantage in bladder cancer 2022” developed by Real Sky Thinking for Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd.