「為甚麼會是我？我才27歲！」－－癌症網路病友團體自介貼文中「年齡揭露」意義之探討

“Why me? I am only 27” — The Psychosocial Meaning of ‘Double Disclosures of Age’ in the Self-introduction Postings of Cancer Patients on a Taiwanese Bulletin Board System

本研究藉由分析癌症病患在台灣某一電子佈告欄（Bulletin Board System, BBS）癌症看板所張貼之「自介」貼文的言談特色以了解癌症病患的社會心理特質。研究結果發現，有別於一般社交中人們不會輕易揭露自己年齡，此看板自介貼文中竟有高達84%癌症病患主動「揭露年齡」（age disclosure），其中「雙重揭露」（double disclosures of age）貼文年齡（平均26歲）與罹癌年齡（平均24歲）又高達98%。據此模式我們推論出罹癌板友以下社會心理特質：(1)即便癌友不具醫療專業，卻也能意識到年齡於「醫療健康」脈絡下的重要性(2)主動揭露年齡反映他們潛意識裡「排斥與抗拒」罹癌心理。此論點可由以下得到佐證：(1)無論哪個年齡層，「排斥與抗拒」是得知罹癌的自然反應；(2)年輕罹癌率是統計上的少數，因此年輕罹癌違背規範性期望（normative expectation），更易產生抗拒心理；(3)選用「非中性揭露」（「為甚麼會是我？我才27歲！」）與(4)「違背個人理解」敘述（「一向菸酒不沾」）。據此，我們認為癌症看板提供年輕病患一個專屬的支持空間，助於醫療人員了解此年齡層癌症病患的社會心理需求以及相關衛教資訊之宣導。

Analyzing self-introduction postings of cancer patients on a Taiwanese Bulletin Board System (BBS), this study demonstrates two observed discourse patterns and patients’ psychosocial characteristics revealed in these patterns. In contrast to most social interactions where adult participants usually do not volunteer their age information, most of the BBS cancer patients (84%) would reveal their age and, in 98% of them, the patients disclosed both their age of posting and of cancer diagnosis (an average of 26 and 24 year-old respectively) The prevailing patterns of ‘age disclosure’ and ‘double disclosure of age’ reveal two psychosocial features: (1)Even though the young cancer patients are not medical professionals, unconsciously, they are aware of the relevance of age to health; (2)Age disclosure reflects their resistance to the cancer diagnosis. The second argument is supported by the following: (1)Across all ages, ‘resistance’ is a shared reaction to cancer diagnosis; (2)Since contracting cancer at a young age is statistically lower than at an old age, it induces greater resistance among young patients; (3)The disclosure is accompanied with a tone of out-of-expectation (40%), such as ‘Why me? I am only 27!’ or (4) a beyond-understanding statement, such as (‘Never smoked or drank’). Since young cancer patients are main users of this online board, we believe that it serves as an importance resource to fulfill their psychosocial needs and thus an invaluable one for health professionals in providing efficient care for young cancer patients.