Identification of stressors, level of stress, coping strategies, and coping effectiveness among Egyptian mastectomy patients.

The purpose of this study was to identify stressors, level of stress, coping strategies, and coping effectiveness in Egyptian female mastectomy patients. A total of 64 women who had had mastectomies participated in the study. Coping effectiveness was measured by McNett's Coping Effectiveness Questionnaire (MCEQ). Factor analysis and reliability measures were established on MCEQ using the study sample. Data were collected using a structured interview method. Participants were also asked about age, education, and time since mastectomy. These data were examined in an effort to predict coping effectiveness. The participants reported five stressors: hope for cure, treatment effectiveness, fear of the unknown, progression of the disease, and pain. The treatment effectiveness stressor had the highest mean level of stress. There was a significant difference in the level of stress among the five stressors. Coping strategies reported were categorized into four groups: faith, compliance with the medical regimen, seeking information and social support, and self-distraction. Coping effectiveness was significantly and positively correlated with age and time since mastectomy, which accounted for 35% of the variance in coping effectiveness. Findings suggest that continuing assessments of Egyptian mastectomy patients' needs, further research studies, and an intervention program to ameliorate cancer-related anxiety and to help cancer patients cope effectively may be helpful.