J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs.  2018 Sep;27(3):208-215. 10.12934/jkpmhn.2018.27.3.208.

Preoperative Uncertainty, Meaning of Life, and Anxiety in Cancer Patients

• Youn K
• Lee J

• KMID: 2422593
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2018.27.3.208

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships among uncertainty, meaning of life, and anxiety in preoperative cancer patients.
METHODS
Study participants were 90 adult patients with thyroid, breast, gastric, or colorectal cancer who were admitted to the general surgery ward and daily operation center in a university-affiliated hospital. Data were collected using Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness Scale, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data were analyzed using t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and a multivariate linear regression analysis (backward stepwise) with SPSS version 24.
RESULTS
Anxiety showed a positive correlation with uncertainty in illness (r=.59, p < .001) and a negative correlation with meaning of life (r=−.49, p < .001), and uncertainty had a negative correlation with meaning of life (r=−53, p < .001). The regression model explained 40.0% variance of preoperative cancer patients' anxiety (F=20.55, p < .001). Significant factors were uncertainty (β=.43, p < .001), meaning of life (β=−.20, p < .001), and low income level (β=.18, p < .001).
CONCLUSION
Our study's findings show that cancer patients' anxiety can be reduced within 24 hours before surgery through psychological nursing interventions aimed at reducing uncertainty and improving the meaning of life.

Keyword

Neoplasms; Preoperative period; Uncertainty; Life; Anxiety

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anxiety*
Breast
Colorectal Neoplasms
Humans
Linear Models
Nursing
Preoperative Period
Thyroid Gland
Uncertainty*

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