Illness perception and incurred distress of oncology patients

Mikluckaite, R. (2018). Illness perception and incurred distress of oncology patients (Master's Degree in Health Psychology). Scientific supervisor: lecturer Irina Baniene. Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Health Psychology: Kaunas. - 57 p. Patients with oncological diseases often experience distress and have a different perception of their illness that can lead to experiencing emotional difficulties as well as influencing their recovery. The study was started in 2018 March 2nd, completed - 2018 April 3rd. In order to ensure the confidentiality of the subjects, the study data has been analyzed and was used generally. The study questionnaire, which consists of three parts designed to detect experienced distress, investigates the perception of the disease and identifies socio-demographic and disease-related indicators. Used: Distress Thermometer, The Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) and questions developed by the researcher. The research used the descriptive statistics method, the data position was evaluated as an average, the distribution of values - standard deviation, distribution of answers - in absolute figures and percentages. Non-parametric statistical criteria for 2D analysis: Chi-square test, Mann-Witney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test. A linear regression analysis was chosen for multiple analyses. Subjects: Oncology patients being treated at the Clinic of Oncology and Hematology, Kaunas Clinic of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital at the time of research (n=147). The results of the study showed that 63.9% of subjects were suffering from distress. Younger patients have been found to experience distress more often than older patients; working patients experience distress more often than non-working ones; the incidence of distress is higher in patients undergoing radiotherapy than in those receiving chemotherapy. Distress manifestation has been found to be related to practical problems such as childcare, finance, transportation, work, treatment decisions; family problems: relationship with partner; emotional problems: symptoms of depression, fear, nervousness, sadness, anxiety and monotonous routine; physical problems: bathing, dressing, breathing, fatigue, and sexuality. The study revealed that patients with oncological diseases have a different perception of their illness: women and those who have been receiving treatment for more than 3 years have a stronger self - identification with the disease than men and those treated for a shorter period of time; Single patients and patients receiving prolonged treatment, are more likely to believe that their illness is long-lasting than patients who have a partner and patients who received a shorter treatment; women are more likely to believe in negative outcomes than men; patients receiving chemotherapy were found more likely to hold beliefs of personal control than patients receiving radiotherapy; younger and more experienced patients are more likely to believe that treatment can change the course of their disease than older or unemployed patients; Patients with illness lasting from 6 months to 1 year believe that the chosen treatment is adequate and that the treatment is having an effect on the disease; they have a clearer awareness of their illness and its signs than those who are ill for a shorter or longer period; patients living in rural areas and unemployed patients evaluate their illness as cyclic, recurring, opposite of patients living in cities and employed patients; women are more likely to experience negative emotional reactions than men; In assessing the perception of the causes for the disease, single patients are more likely to believe that their illness was caused by internal causes than patients who have a life partner; Men are more likely to believe that their illness is caused by external causes than women. It has been established that patient self - identification with the disease, the experience of negative emotions, the lower perception of personal control and illness perception clarity are related to the occurrence of distress. Self - identification with the disease, negative emotional response and radiation therapy predict distress occurrence among cancer patients. Key words: Oncological disease, distress, Illness perceptio