The nature of hope and its relationship with social support and the support of medical personnel in cancer patients referred to the Imam Khomeini Medical Education Center (RA) Ardabil 2013

Dissertation:

In order to receive a master's degree in nursing

(Internal Surgical Nursing Education)

Abstract

Introduction: Hope is one of the most important sources of encounters for cancer patients. The support of medical personnel and social support play a role in promoting hope. The level of support provided by medical personnel and social support provided by family and friends and its relationship with hope, as well as the types, sources and strategies for improving hope in Iranian cancer patients, have not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the nature of hope and its relationship with social support and support of medical personnel in cancer patients referred to the Imam Khomeini (RA) educational-therapeutic center in Ardabil.

Methodology: This descriptive-correlation study was conducted in the Imam Khomeini (RA) educational-therapeutic center affiliated to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. 230 patients with definite diagnosis of cancer were included in this study. Hearth's Hope Index, VAX Social Support Questionnaire, Nortos Medical Personnel Support Questionnaire, and a questionnaire designed to examine the types of hope, sources and strategies for improving hope were used. SPSS statistical software and descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the statistical analysis of the findings.

Results: Patients with moderate to high levels of hope, social support and medical personnel support. There was a positive and significant relationship between hope and social support and the support of medical personnel. Most of the patients mentioned their hope to return to a normal life and complete healing of the disease with the help of doctors and medicines. Spiritual resources, family, medical personnel and medical technology were the most important sources of hope. Spiritual strategies, family support, control of disease symptoms and strategies used by doctors and nurses were the most important ways to increase hope.

Conclusion:

Family support, support of friends, support of medical personnel are effective factors in hope in patients with cancer, and nurses and doctors can increase the hope of patients by providing support to patients, treating them appropriately, meeting spiritual needs of patients and promoting family support. which is one of the ways to adapt to the disease and play a useful and effective role.

Keywords: hope, cancer, social support, medical personnel support, maintaining hope

Introduction

Introduction of the research

Research title: The nature of hope And its relationship with social support and support of medical personnel in patients with cancer referred to the Imam Khomeini (RA) Educational-Treatment Center, Ardabil, 1392 goes (1). Cancer is a major health problem in the United States and other parts of the world, and it is the second cause of death after cardiovascular diseases (2). Cancer is one of the most common and severe diseases observed in medicine and is considered as one of the health problems in the world and its prevalence is increasing (3). It is expected that the number of new cancer cases will increase from 10 million people in 2000 to 15 million people in 2020, and about 60% of these cases will be in the less developed countries of the world (4). According to the presented statistics, in 2007, 12 million new cases of cancer and nearly 7.6 million deaths from this disease occurred in the world (5, 6). Also, it is predicted that in 2030, the number of new cases of cancer and death due to it will reach 26.4 and 17 million people, respectively (7). In the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region of the World Health Organization, cancer is the fourth cause of death and an important health problem that is expanding (8).. In Iran, cancer is the third cause of death (9) and more than 30,000 people die from cancer every year (10) and more than 50,000 new cases of cancer occur in Iran every year. It is predicted that the number of cancer deaths in Iran will reach 62 thousand by 2020 (12). According to the statistics published by the Ministry of Health, the number of cancer cases in 2013 was 38,469 people, which reached 76,159 people in 2013 (13). Mousavi et al.'s study also showed that in 2013, the incidence of cancer was 98% per thousand for women and 110% per thousand for men, and the death rate was 41% per thousand for women and 65% per thousand for men (14). In 2015, out of the total number of 59,786 cancer cases registered, 33,770 cases were related to men and 26,016 cases were related to women, and in 2016, out of the total number of 62,040 cancer cases, 34,636 cases were related to men and 27,404 cases were related to women (15).

problems and disruptions in their daily and social activities (16) and as a social phenomenon by creating disorder in the performance of usual roles and creating crisis in the patient, it disrupts personal communication and makes his adaptation mechanisms ineffective and causes mental tension in the patient due to repeated hospitalizations (17). Having cancer affects the physical, mental, social, cultural and economic aspects of the patient's life in different periods, the patient faces many problems including family problems, changes in performance, isolation, changes in mental image and psychological problems (18). Also, the disease causes despair and hopelessness in patients and they feel trapped in an uncontrollable and difficult situation (19). In the qualitative research conducted by Esmaili et al. (2012), Iranian cancer patients expressed family and personal problems, the idea of ??an uncertain future, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness as their main concerns (20). In another study by Shaban et al. (2013)

Iranian cancer patients had fatigue, mental-psychological problems, mental image disorder, changes in the function of body parts and decreased quality of life (21). In Salmani et al.'s study (2007), Iranian cancer patients had problems such as reduced life function, job loss, family breakdown, interpersonal communication disorder, inability to fulfill personal, family and social responsibilities (22). According to the aforementioned issues, cancer diagnosis can be a complex and challenging experience that requires a high level of individual coping (23). In the review of the literature, resources such as religion and spirituality (24, 25), social capital (15), creating meaning in life (26), hope (27), family support (25, 28) and the support of medical staff (29) have been mentioned as important resources for dealing with cancer. An effective strategy for coping with stress and dealing with the disease and one of these resources that can help patients cope with the disease is hope, which is influenced by various factors including the support of those around them, religion, acceptance of the disease, awareness and recognition of their disease status (30-33). Hope is the basic source for facing cancer and other chronic diseases (34). Despite the fact that there is no agreement among researchers to provide the same definition of hope, but in general, researchers consider hope to be a part of human existence, which has undeniable effects on health (35). Hope is one of the most important resources that increase self-confidence in patients and increase their participation in the process of cancer treatment (36). Hope provides an effective coping mechanism for cancer patients and helps them in different stages of the disease from diagnosis to the final stage (37) and plays an important role in the process of recovery from cancer (38). (34).