ROCHA, Christiane Delúsia de Oliveira; VIANA-MEIRELES, Lívia Gomes    OLIVA, Angela Donato. Words associated with child cancer: an exploratory survey. []. , 18, 2, pp.550-568. ISSN 1808-4281.

The diagnosis of cancer in children has a strong impact on the population and it is accompanied mainly by negative thoughts, although cure rates have increased in recent years. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the perception about childhood cancer. There were 331 adults, 155 with or without children and 176 parents of children with cancer. A sociodemographic questionnaire and a questionnaire on child cancer perceptions were used. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square use. The results indicated that perceptions related to cancer are predominantly negative. Therefore, it is concluded that childhood cancer is related to a stigma of death and suffering, which is in contradiction with current rates of cure. Thus, investing in the development of information and population awareness work may be important for cancer to be seen in a more realistic way.

: childhood cancer; perception; parents; population.

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