Yasemin Çıracı1, Nesrin Nural2, Ziya Saltürk3. 1. Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. yaseminciraci90@gmail.com. 2. Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. 3. Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Terminal stage cancer patients experience anxiety about death and pessimism about the future. They usually fear that as they approach death, their pain will increase, they will lose their reputation, and they will be alone. However, few studies have evaluated the loneliness that these cancer patients feel. This was a cross-sectional and definitive study that evaluated the feeling of loneliness in terminal cancer patients. METHODS: In total, 55 cancer patients with terminal cancer who were hospitalised for palliative therapy between 14 November 2014 and 14 January 2015 in the Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. The patients were given a questionnaire form that included sociodemographic properties and University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale to collect data. RESULTS: Loneliness was detected as 53.61 ± 9.29. There was no relationship between sociodemographic data and loneliness (p > 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that family support and sharing of emotional stress were related to the level of loneliness (p < 0.05). More than half of the patients needed psychological support because they could not handle the situation. CONCLUSIONS: Terminal stage cancer patients felt lonely in general, and patients with a lack of visitors and family support experienced a higher level of loneliness.
BACKGROUND: Terminal stage cancerpatients experience anxiety about death and pessimism about the future. They usually fear that as they approach death, their pain will increase, they will lose their reputation, and they will be alone. However, few studies have evaluated the loneliness that these cancerpatients feel. This was a cross-sectional and definitive study that evaluated the feeling of loneliness in terminal cancerpatients. METHODS: In total, 55 cancerpatients with terminal cancer who were hospitalised for palliative therapy between 14 November 2014 and 14 January 2015 in the Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. The patients were given a questionnaire form that included sociodemographic properties and University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale to collect data. RESULTS: Loneliness was detected as 53.61 ± 9.29. There was no relationship between sociodemographic data and loneliness (p > 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that family support and sharing of emotional stress were related to the level of loneliness (p < 0.05). More than half of the patients needed psychological support because they could not handle the situation. CONCLUSIONS: Terminal stage cancerpatients felt lonely in general, and patients with a lack of visitors and family support experienced a higher level of loneliness.
Authors: A Moadel; C Morgan; A Fatone; J Grennan; J Carter; G Laruffa; A Skummy; J Dutcher Journal: Psychooncology Date: 1999 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 3.894
Authors: Catherine E Mosher; Stephen J Lepore; Lisa Wu; Jane Austin; Heiddis Valdimarsdottir; Scott Rowley; Luis Isola; William H Redd; Christine Rini Journal: J Health Psychol Date: 2012-01-17