Psychological Distress of Elderly Cancer Patients: The Role of Social Support and Coping Strategies (original) (raw)
Related papers
2011
BACKGROUND: Distress, anxiety and depression are common emotional complications of cancer that deserve clinicians attention, as well as, the ways patients choose to cope with this difficult moment and the implications associated with disease and treatment in their quality of life (QoL). We examined the correlation between symptoms of distress, anxiety and depression, coping and quality of life among cancer patients from a Brazilian Cancer Center. METHOD: 44 patients participated in this pilot study, 27.3% were male and 72.7% female, average age was 57 (SD513.8), most of patients were married (70.5%), and 45.5% had college degree. The Distress Thermometer, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General and the Ways of Coping Checklist were used to evaluate the psychosocial aspects, followed by a multidisciplinary discussion to define the best intervention for each case. This research was authorized by the ethics committee and the data were analyzed according to criteria defined in literature and with help of the software SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: In the beginning of treatment, 40.9% of patients had a clinically significant level of distress, 29.5% had anxiety and 25% depression, the average QoL was 89.3. At the midcycle assessment, 14% presented with distress, 4% anxiety and depression, the average QoL was 94.1. On the last day of chemotherapy 7.1% still scored above 4 on the DT, 4% showed anxiety and depression, and the average QoL was 98.7. The most common forms of coping used in all stages of evaluation was seeking social support; the second one was planful problem-solving in the beginning and distancing at middle and last day. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that patients with high distress have worse QoL (74.8% with QoL o85) than patients without it (30% with QoL o85). Considering that coping is a major factor in the relation between distress (depression and anxiety) and cancer adaptation, patients tend to emotional support (seeking for social support) and to make efforts to seek informational. The progressive decrease of distress, anxiety and depression was attributed to screening and monitoring routine for identifying the level and nature of distress as well as the multidisciplinary intervention tailored to each case. RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS: This result supports the importance of these analyses, and the multidisciplinary discussion as a method of understanding the relations between distress, mood disorder, coping and QoL, as well as of understanding coping process and the mechanisms through which they come to affect patient’s well-being over the treatment. Furthermore, it is important to identify intersection points between patient’s psychological adjustment to cancer to know more about our patients and to offer a quality cancer care. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: In this journey patients have to appraisal and reappraisal to revise the meaning of events in ways that were more consistent with their new situation in an attempt to find a tolerable meaning to the event. It is important to know how is this patients process to propose the appropriate intervention strategies. Such knowledge, can favor the adequate assistance to patients because of the understanding of suffering and doubts present in the phases of disease. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FUNDING: None.
EVALUATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN CANCER PATIENTS
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 2020
Objective: The main objective of the present study is to determine the depression and anxiety using standardized rating scales in cancer patients. Methods: This prospective observational study was performed in 120 cancer patients at a local government cancer hospital. Subjects were interviewed and data were collected using standard Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaires. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Results: Out of 120 patients, 75.8% were male and 24.2% were female. The maximum number of subjects (n=66, 55%) were within the age group of 41-60 years and from the urban region (54.2%). Analyzing the depression status from the PHQ-9 questionnaire, severe depression was seen high among females (31%) when compared to males (19.8%). From the scores obtained by the GAD-7 questionnaire, it was found that males with normal anxiety (26.4%) and severe anxiety (11%) were more when compared to females. On performing regression, females were 0.572 times at a higher risk of developing depression and 2.005 times likely to have GAD when compared to males. Conclusion: The present study suggests that majority of subjects with psychiatric disorders are in the age group of 41-60 years and are from the urban region. Early screening of the cancer patients for depression and GAD using validated questionnaires such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7 and providing appropriate counseling or therapy on a timely basis helps them to manage their adverse symptoms and boosts the mental health of the subjects.
2013
BACKGROUND: Comprehension and assessment of psychological states and coping strategies during spousal bereavement are necessary for hospital staff to provide psychological care in clinical practice. The purposes of this study were (1) to characterize psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement among spouses of cancer patients in Japan and (2) to explore the factors associated with psychological states in oncology settings. METHOD: In March 2009, questionnaires to assess spouses' psychological states, coping strategies, and mental health states (GHQ-28) were sent after patients died at the National Cancer Center of Japan. To address the first purpose, exploratory factor analysis, gender comparison, and calculation of correlation with age, time since bereavement, and mental health states were conducted. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to address the second purpose. RESULTS: A total of 821 spouses experiencing bereavement for 7 months to 7 years participated in the study. Psychological states revealed three factor structures: "Anxiety/Depression/Anger", "Yearning", and "Acceptance/Future-Oriented Feelings". Coping strategies also revealed 3 factor structures: "Distraction", "Continuing Bonds", and "Social Sharing/Reconstruction". Coping strategies represented 18% to 34% of each factor associated with psychological states, whereas the characteristics of bereaved spouses and deceased patients represented 6% and <6%, respectively. More "Distraction and Social Sharing/Reconstruction" and less "Continuing Bonds" were significantly associated coping strategies for achieving "Acceptance/Future-Oriented Feelings" (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement revealed 3 factor structures. Coping strategies was the primary, bereaved spouses' characteristics was the secondary, and deceased patients' characteristics was the tertiary factor associated with psychological states. Enhancing "Distraction" and "Social Sharing/ Reconstruction", and reducing "Continuing Bonds" might be promising strategies for achieving positive psychological states of the bereaved. RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS: Based on the Western theoretical framework of "stress and coping theory", coping strategies were the primary associated factor of psychological states, beyond the characteristics of bereaved spouses/deceased patients. The strategy for encouraging coping strategies would contribute to positive psychological states in the bereaved. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: All 3 factors of coping strategies ("Distraction", "Continuing Bonds", "Social Sharing/Reconstruction") included adaptive and maladaptive items. Each item characteristics would be useful to comprehend and assess whether coping strategies utilized by the bereaved are adaptive or not in clinical practice. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FUNDING: This research was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research and the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.
Journal of Psychology in Africa
Objectives: A breast cancer diagnosis is a distressing event that impacts on physical and psychological functioning. This study examined the longitudinal relationships among a diagnosis of breast cancer, social support, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods: Participants were 412 women from the 1946-1951 birth cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health who self-reported a new diagnosis of breast cancer between 1998 and 2007. The three surveys of longitudinal data analyzed included data 3 years before diagnosis, at diagnosis (baseline), and 3 years after diagnosis (follow-up). Social support was measured using the 19-item Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey; HRQOL was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Results: Compared with pre-diagnosis HRQOL, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reported significantly poorer HRQOL in subscales related to pain, physical functioning, and health and vitality. At 3-year follow-up, HRQOL had improved in most domains to levels consistent with pre-diagnosis. Levels of social support remained stable across time. The structural equation model showed that social support was positively predictive of better physical and mental HRQOL at 3-year follow-up. Conclusions: Longitudinal analyses indicate that social support appears to be an important predictor of HRQOL in women diagnosed with breast cancer. In particular, positive emotional and informational support that may normally be provided by a partner is important in maintaining HRQOL. Identification of those lacking social support, especially patients without partners, will enable them to be guided to appropriate support networks and programs.
The Effect of Social Support Sources and Coping Strategies with the Quality of Life Cancer Caregiver
2019
Caregiver cancer often experience problems and obstacles that have a negative impact on the quality of life. Therefore, the caregiver needs social support and must be able to control his emotions by using the right coping strategies during stressful situations. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social support sources and coping strategies on the quality of life of caregiver cancer. This study uses quantitative methods with a family caregiver research population that treats cancer patients both at home and in the hospital. The study sample was 153 caregiver cancer. The measuring instrument used in this study is WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) to measure quality of life, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to measure social support and scale of ways of coping (WOC) to measure coping strategies. The data obtained were then analyzed using multiple regression analysis techniques.
Coping Behaviors and Health Related Quality of Life of Geriatric Patients with Cancer
Alexandria Scientific nursing journal, 2015
Cancer is common in old age; more than 60% of all malignancies are found in 12% of the population 65 years and older. Objective: To identify the coping behaviors and the health related quality of life of geriatric patients with cancer, to determine the relationship between coping behaviors and health related quality of life of geriatric patients with cancer. Setting: The outpatient clinic in Mansoura University Oncology Center. Subjects: The study was carried out on 143 geriatric patients diagnosed with cancer. Tools: Three tools were used for data collection: Socio demographic and clinical data structured interview schedule, Jaloweic Coping Scale and EORTC-QLQ-C30 Version 3.0 Questionnaire. Results: A statistically significant relation was found between Affective-oriented coping behaviors and Problem oriented coping behaviors. Also, between problem-oriented coping behaviors and Global health status/QoL. Conclusion: Geriatric patients with cancer used affective oriented coping behaviors more than problem oriented coping behaviors to adapt with their condition. Also they have a poor QoL and symptom problem. Recommendations: Education of geriatric patients with cancer how to use problem solving coping strategies rather than emotional coping strategies.
European Scientific Journal, 2012
During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings. This trend presents the caregivers, mainly family members, with many difficult and complex tasks. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of perceived social support and coping strategies employed to the levels of anxiety and depression, as well as to the perception for the quality of life to cancer caregivers through a systematic literature review. Perceived social support results in fewer mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, and better quality of life, but this is not supported by all the studies. Likewise, some coping strategies, like active coping, have been also considered as important factors influencing quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although there are many studies in the area of cancer, the majority of them have the patient in focus. There are few studies focused in the caregiving experience. In an Albanian setting, to the researchers' knowledge, there isn't any other study that targets caregivers.
Psychological Distress in Cancer Patients
Middle East Journal of Cancer, 2018
Background: The psychological distress is a kind of mental stress that people experience due to various causes. This study was performed aimed to investigate the psychological distress in cancer patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed during one year on the patients who referred to two academic hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences for treatment or follow-up. Psychological distress questionnaire was used to collect data. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 16. P
Factors associated with perceived social support in older people with cancer
Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging
OBJECTIVE: To analyze factors associated with perceived social support in older people with cancer. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional, analytical study conducted with a convenience sample of 134 older people seen at a specialist cancer treatment unit in a hospital located in a municipal district in the South of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Data collection was conducted by interview and analysis of medical records. Social support was analyzed using the Medical Outcomes Study social support scale. The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze differences between means. Linear regression was used for analysis of associations. RESULTS: The majority of the sample of older people with cancer analyzed were male, aged from 60 to 74 years, and reported high mean scores for material support; affective support; positive social interaction; and emotional/informational support. Factors with positive associations with social support were: not living alone; income one to three...
Assessment of Psychological Distress and Mental Adjustment among Cancer Patients
Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal, 2018
Depression, anxiety and stress are often psychological consequences of living with cancer. Depression is the most common psychiatric illness in patients with cancer. Early identification of patients who are coping poorly is important for compliance with treatment and control of distress. The study aimed to: Assessment of psychological distress and mental adjustment among cancer patients. A descriptive research design was used. The sample included all cancer patients attending the outpatients clinic or in patients departments with the following criteria: non metastatic cancer and during six months period either recent patients or come for follow up and assessed through; the personal data questionnaire, (depression, anxiety, and stress scale) and Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale (Mini MAC). Results: The participant consisted of 165 males and females cancer patients aged 18 years and more. Their age range from 17 to 75 years. There are having high level of depression, anxiety and stress. According to Mini MAC scale, patients were depended on their fighting spirit and anxious preoccupation and less extent to use cognitive avoidance. The study recommended that: liaison psychiatric nurse should be available to deal with patient's psychological problem. Psych educational and relaxation training should be available to deal with the distress.