RESEARCH PAPER
Coping with stress by women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer
1
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicicum University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
2
Department of Multimedia and Computer Graphics, Faculty of Mathematics and Information Technology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
3
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicicum University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
Corresponding author
Ewa Kupcewicz
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicicum University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, M. Oczapowskiego 2, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicicum University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, M. Oczapowskiego 2, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland
J Pre Clin Clin Res. 2018;12(1):16-21
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Gynecologic cancers are associated with numerous ailments affecting the cognitive, emotional and behavioral outcomes for the ill women. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of selected sociodemographic and medical variables on stress levels and to describe the predictors of stress intensity among women with diagnosed gynecologic cancer.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted from January 2015 to April 2016 in a group of 102 women hospitalized in gynecologic oncology wards in hospitals located in Olsztyn district. The own-designed questionnaire, the Scale of Perceived Stress-PSS-10 and the Multidimensional Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress-Mini-COPE were used to carry out the study.
Results:
In 65.7% of investigated women with gynecologic cancer the intensity of the experienced stress was defined as high, in 23.5% as average, and in one in ten women showed low scores (10.8%), indicating the low severity of the stress experienced. The largest share of predictors (16%) of stress intensity in women patients is provided by a cessation strategy that is related to helplessness and abandonment of effort.
Conclusions:
Women with gynecological cancers were experiencing high levels of stress. Most of them feel helpless and abandoned in their illness. They have a potential to apply emotional strategies, including problem-focused strategies to deal with this condition. This study strongly supports a need for psychological counselling and care in gynecologic cancer patients.
Gynecologic cancers are associated with numerous ailments affecting the cognitive, emotional and behavioral outcomes for the ill women. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of selected sociodemographic and medical variables on stress levels and to describe the predictors of stress intensity among women with diagnosed gynecologic cancer.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted from January 2015 to April 2016 in a group of 102 women hospitalized in gynecologic oncology wards in hospitals located in Olsztyn district. The own-designed questionnaire, the Scale of Perceived Stress-PSS-10 and the Multidimensional Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress-Mini-COPE were used to carry out the study.
Results:
In 65.7% of investigated women with gynecologic cancer the intensity of the experienced stress was defined as high, in 23.5% as average, and in one in ten women showed low scores (10.8%), indicating the low severity of the stress experienced. The largest share of predictors (16%) of stress intensity in women patients is provided by a cessation strategy that is related to helplessness and abandonment of effort.
Conclusions:
Women with gynecological cancers were experiencing high levels of stress. Most of them feel helpless and abandoned in their illness. They have a potential to apply emotional strategies, including problem-focused strategies to deal with this condition. This study strongly supports a need for psychological counselling and care in gynecologic cancer patients.
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