Mental adaptation to cancer in women with gynaecological cancer

Abstract

Kupcewicz E, Olewińska J, Pikus H, Jóźwik M. Mental adaptation to cancer in women with gynaecological cancer. J Pre-Clin Clin Res. 2017; 11(2): 120-126. doi: 10.26444/jpccr/80986 Abstract Introduction and objective. Adapting to gynaecological cancer is the problem of accepting and coping with the disease and its consequences. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between stress intensity and strategies for coping with stress and psychological adaptation to disease in women diagnosed with gynaecological cancer. Materials and method. The study was performed on a group of 102 women diagnosed with gynaecologic malignancy. The mean age of patients was 56.1 (SD ±10.75) years. Three self-designed questionnaires were used to carry out the study: Scale of Perceived Stress (PSS-10), Multidimensional Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE) and the Scale of Mental Adaptation to Cancer (Mini-MAC). Statistical significance was set at p <0.05. Results. In more than half of the women surveyed, the severity of stress experienced during the last month was high. Women with a malignant illness significantly differed (p<0.001) in the styles of coping with the disease, preferring a constructive style (M=43.5; SD±5.76) rather than a destructive style (M=21.7; SD±5.28). The highest median values were obtained by positive revalidation (M=21.9; SD±3.01) and fighting spirit (M=21.6; SD±3.47) strategies. The most prominent indicator of predicting a constructive style of coping with cancer was the coping strategy described as Positive Revalidation (ßeta=0.38; R²=0.41); whereas an Acceptance strategy was a predictor of a destructive style (ßeta=-0.30; R²=0.31). Conclusions. Most women facing gynaecological cancer experience a high level of stress, and try to use active strategies to deal with the disease. The results indicate that there is a need to offer special psychological care to oncologically diagnosed women.

The Significance of Adaptation and Coping with Disease among Patients with Diagnosed Gynaecological Cancer in the Context of Disease Acceptance

“…In our study the group of subjects was also comprised largely of patients with uterine cancer (71.6%). The average age of the participants in Kupcewicz et al’s study [ 33 ] was 56.10 years (SD = 10.75), which is similar to the average age of the participants in our study (M = 60.31; SD = 11.72). Kupcewicz et al’s study [ 33 ] revealed that the scores for the constructive style domain (43.5 ± 5.76) were significantly higher than those for the destructive style (21.7 ± 5.28).…”

“…The average age of the participants in Kupcewicz et al’s study [ 33 ] was 56.10 years (SD = 10.75), which is similar to the average age of the participants in our study (M = 60.31; SD = 11.72). Kupcewicz et al’s study [ 33 ] revealed that the scores for the constructive style domain (43.5 ± 5.76) were significantly higher than those for the destructive style (21.7 ± 5.28). This means that the studied women chose active approaches to the disease, such as a fighting spirit (M = 21.6 ± 3.47) and positive re-evaluation (M = 21.9 ± 3.01) [ 33 ].…”

“…The number of points scored for the destructive domains also increased significantly with the age of the subjects, especially among those diagnosed with uterine cancer. Kupcewicz et al conducted a study of 102 women with histopathologically confirmed gynaecological cancer, among which endometrial cancer was the most common (94.1%) [ 33 ]. In our study the group of subjects was also comprised largely of patients with uterine cancer (71.6%).…”

“…Kupcewicz et al’s study [ 33 ] revealed that the scores for the constructive style domain (43.5 ± 5.76) were significantly higher than those for the destructive style (21.7 ± 5.28). This means that the studied women chose active approaches to the disease, such as a fighting spirit (M = 21.6 ± 3.47) and positive re-evaluation (M = 21.9 ± 3.01) [ 33 ]. Analogous results were found in our study, in which patients scored higher for the constructive domains (M = 45.11 ± 6.01) than for the destructive domains (M = 31.57 ± 8.41) regardless of the type of cancer.…”

Assessment of pain, acceptance of the disease, adaptation to life and strategies of coping with the disease in patients with endometrial cancer

“…Thus, the mean for the constructive style (M = 43.5, SD = 5.76) in these patients was much higher than for the destructive style (M = 21.7, SD = 5.28). The study conducted by indicated that older patients obtained lower values in the area of fighting spirit and higher in the areas of helplessness-hopelessness and anxiety than the younger patients [22,23]. Juczyński Z.…”