Hope and its Relation to Individual and Social Characteristics in Patients with Cancer Hospital of Shahid Gazie of Tabriz, 2003.

Abstract

Abstract: Background: A chronic illness, such as cancer, brings about permanent changing in an individual's life style. To cope with their everyday life, patients with cancer need their own resources and social support. Hope is an important coping strategy those with chronic illness. Nurses have increasingly been recognized as playing a major role in assisting and helping to people with cancer in their hope. This article is carried out dealing with importance of hope in patient with cancer, in order to improve appropriate intervention in feeling and emotional reactions. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was performed with 115 above years aged in patients with cancer by simple sampling through administration of Herth Hope Index (HHI). The total scoring for 12 item is from 12 to 48 that the total score classified four levels. Analysis of variance and independent samples T test were used to examine the impact of selected demographic and disease related variables on hope. Results: Finding show that, most of the patients 83.4% were to be hopeful or moderately hopeful and none of them were despair. Hope scores weren't correlation with sex, diagnosis of cancer, level of education, marital status, with who live, time since diagnosis, but correlation were found with financial status, living arrangement, level of activity, physical energy, problem with sleep, health care delivery and ostracism from family members. Discussion: Hope is viewed as a state, existing high level of hope can be result of disclosure of a cancer diagnosis, making cognitive adaptation and denying what is happening. Also correlation were found with hope scores and financial status, living arrangement, level of activity, physical energy, problem with sleep, health care delivery and ostracism from family members. An appreciation of the influence of these variables on hope is essential to a comprehensive understanding of hope and support nurses and families to focus on significant and meaning aspects of these variables.