Psychosocial adjustment and affecting factors in Turkish patients with cancer

Abstract

Aim: this study aimed to determine the psychosocial adjustment and affecting factors in cancer patients. The results of this study can be used in planning psychosocial support programs to increase the psychosocial adjustment levels of the cancer patients. Methods This study included 105 patients with cancer who presented to the outpatient unit of a medical oncology clinic to receive outpatient chemotherapy between December 2005 and February 2006. A two part survey was used to collect the data. The questionnaires included a demographic questionnaire and the Turkish version of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self-Report-PAIS-SR Results: The findings obtained from the study were analysed, the PAIS-SR total point average was found to be 57.1+/-14.8. When the points that patients receive from PAIS-SR were evaluated in terms of psychosocial adjustment, it was determined that the psychosocial adjustment levels of 64.8% of the patients were "poor", 28.6% were "medium", and 5.7% were "good". This study is the knowledge level of the cancer patients regarding their diseases is the most important variable that affects psychosocial adjustment. Conclusion: The research results showed that the psychosocial adjustments of the cancer patients were poor, and the psychological adjustments, especially regarding the professional and social life dimensions, were affected more.