The anxiety level of chemotherapy receiving patients and their caregivers and affecting factors

Abstract

Aim: This study was performed to examine the anxiety level of chemotherapy receiving patients and their caregivers together with the affecting factors. Methods: The study was conducted as correlational and descriptive in Dicle University Oncology Hospital between June 2013 and July 2014. Chemotherapy patients over the age of 18 and caregivers in Dicle University Oncology Hospital constituted the population of the study. The sample was constituted by 250 chemotherapy receiving patients and 250 caregivers performed power analysis. Patient and caregiver identification form, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Edmonton Symptom Scale Diagnostics (Estonian) were used in the data collection. Descriptive statistics, paired t test, independent samples t test, Kruskal-Wallis Variance, Mann-Whitney U, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson Correlation test were used in the evaluation of data. Results: Among the patients who were included to the study, 97,6% were determined to be willing to continue to the treatment and 57,2% were determined to be women. It was found that average anxiety scores of women patients and the people who support the patient in coping with the disease were high and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). It was determined that 81,6% of caregivers did not have a disease and 54,4% were men. The average anxiety score of caregivers; women, unemployed, people with no social security, with a disease, who support the patient psychologically/emotionally, whose health condition is not affected, whose other responsibilities are affected and who have problems with the treatment were high and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was determined that patients and caregivers were negatively affected in many aspects during the chemotherapy treatment. According to the research results, chemotherapy receiving patients and their caregivers will help to necessary the nursing intervention for coping with the anxiety. Oncology nurses should be supported both patient and their caregivers psychological and s ocial aspects. © GATA.