Relationship between Stress and Quality of Life among Cancer Patients referring to Clinics of Educational –Therapeutics Centers of Zahedan, 2013.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: During the past two decades, stress and quality of life has been most effective aspects of patient care is emphasized, and so its investigation results have been used in terms of diagnosis, the present differences between patients, prediction of the disease consequences and evaluation of interventions. This study was done to determine the perceived stress and its relationship with quality of life among cancer patients referring to Oncology clinics of education –therapeutic centers of Zahedan. Methods: This study is a descriptive correlation design it was done on 250 patients in 2013 with cancer breast, digestive system, and skin cancer referring to Oncology clinics in educational –therapeutic centers of Zahedan. They was selected on base accessible sampling. For gathering data perceived stress and quality of life questionnaires were used. For analyzing data using Pearson correlation coefficient, Variance analysis, independent t –test, ANOVA, descriptive statistics and software program SPSS 18 were used. Results: 94.4% of patients had a moderate stress, perceived stress with the mean and standard deviation 29.16± 1.46, and Quality of life the mean and standard deviation 60.52 ±0.64 and high stress had a statistically significant with lower quality of life (P<0.05). Also, perceived stress score was significantly associated with insurance status, marital status, chemotherapy and radiation therapy (P<0.05). Quality of life variables, such as cancer, education level, age at diagnosis correlated significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: Stress is one of the most important features of cancer patients which reduce the quality of life in these patients, thus appropriate planning and strategies for education and counseling to reduce stress and improve quality of life must be done.