Kanser Hastalarının Nüks Korkularının İncelenmesi

Abstract

The study has been conducted as a descriptive one in order to investigate the fear of recurrence in the patients with cancer, from January 2016 to September 2016. The research sample consisted of the cancer patients who have been being followed-up and treated in remission periods in the hospitals in Ankara which possess a medical oncology clinic and have given permission for the application. At the first stage, the validity-reliability of the ‘’Fear of Cancer Recurrence Scale’’, which is used to assess the fear of recurrence in cancer patients (300 patients). At the second stage, the ‘’Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory’’, the validity and reliability of proven, applied again to a new sample of patients (231 patients). At the third stage, deep interviews have been conducted with 15 patients with cancer, in order to evaluate their feelings and thoughts regarding the fear of recurrence. The data have been collected using the identifying information form, the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory, and the semi-constructed questionnaire. The data of the first and the second stages have been evaluated by using descriptive and comparative statistics, and third of the stage by using the content analysis. According to the research results; the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory which was adapted for Turkey has been found to be valid and reliable in assessing the fear of recurrence in the patients with cancer. Lung cancer, metastasis and the presence of recurrence, young age, employees, lonely people, a less time one after diagnosis, and of those who have negative life fear of relapse are higher than others. Patients have expressed some expectation from the health system and the social support system to manage this fear that they can trigger the fear of recurrence with internal and external factors and use cognitive, emotional, behavioral, spiritual strategies to cope. As a result, psychosocial support for fear of recurrence has been suggested.