The effects of illness perception on death anxiety and satisfaction with life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to determine the effects of illness perception on death anxiety and satisfaction with life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.

METHODS

This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 125 patients with cancer who were admitted to the oncology clinic of a university hospital in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey between March and December 2022 and who met the research criteria and accepted to participate in the study. The data were collected with "Patient descriptive information form," "Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ)," "Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA)," and "Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)."

RESULTS

It was found that mean BIPQ score of the patients was 39.54 ± 12.82, the mean SDA score was 8.02 ± 3.16, and the mean SWLS score was 14.74 ± 5.19. BIPQ total score was found to affect SDA total score positively (β = .751) and SWLS total score negatively (β = - .591). SDA total score was found to affect SWLS total score negatively (β = -.216) (p < .05).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

It was found that patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer had moderate level of illness perception and life satisfaction, and high death anxiety. It was found that as illness perception of the patients increased, their death anxiety increased and satisfaction with life decreased. In addition, it was found that as the death anxiety of patients increased, their satisfaction with life decreased.

Spiritual Well-Being and Care Burden in Caregivers of Patients with Breast Cancer in Turkey

This research was carried out to identify the relationship between the spiritual well-being and caregiver burden in caregivers of patients with breast cancer. The study was conducted with family caregivers of patients with breast cancer who presented to the oncology clinic of a university hospital for treatment. The study sample included a total of 138 family caregivers who met the criteria for participation and agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using a participant information form, caregiver burden scale and three-dimensional spiritual well-being scale. The caregivers have a moderate level of caregiver burden and their spiritual well-being was quite high. The caregiver burden of female caregivers was found to be significantly higher than that of male caregivers (p = 0.040). There is a negatively significant relationship between caregiver burden and spiritual well-being (p = 0.000, r =  - 0.357). The caregiver burden is significantly higher among the 24-h caregivers compared to that among the 3-h and 4-6-h caregivers (p = 0.003). The spiritual well-being of the caregivers who provide care between 3 h and 4-6 h a day was significantly higher than that of those who provide 24-h care (p = 0.001). Increasing spiritual well-being may help to reduce caregiver burden in caregivers of those with breast cancer.

Relationship between Compassion and Spiritual Care among Nurses in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the compassion level of nurses on the frequency of their provision of spiritual care therapeutics to patients. The research was conducted as a correlational descriptive study and included 253 nurses working in a university hospital in Turkey between October and December 2020. The data were collected via an online survey using psychometrically valid scales to assess the nurses' compassion and provision of spiritual care therapeutics. The nurses had a high compassion level and a medium level of spiritual care therapeutics. Compassion level explained 31% of the frequency of spiritual care therapeutics. As nurses' compassion levels increased, the frequency of their provision of spiritual care therapeutics to patients also increased.

Nurses' Perceptions on Good Death and Their Attitudes Towards the Care of Dying Individuals

This study was conducted to determine the good death perceptions of intensive care and oncology inpatient unit nurses, their attitudes toward care of the dying and the correlation between them. The sample of this study consisted of 134 intensive care and oncology inpatient unit nurses. The data were collected using the Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Scale and the Good Death Scale. As the results of the study, the nurses had high good death perceptions. They had moderately positive attitudes toward care of the dying patients. As their good death perceptions increased, their positive attitudes toward care of the dying individual also increased. It is recommended to organize programs to raise awareness of nurses about good death and attitudes toward the dying patients and to strengthen their communication and coping methods.

Determination of the Relationship Between Self-Care Agency and Death Anxiety Among Elderly Individuals

This study aimed to determine the relationship between self-care agency and death anxiety among elderly individuals. The study sample consisted of 163 elderly individuals who applied to the internal medicine and chest diseases outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Death anxiety (DAS) and Self-care agency (SCAS) scales were used for data collection. The mean DAS score of the participants was found 6.76 ± 3.25 and low. The mean SCAS scores was 94.35 ± 16.37 and moderate. A positive very weak correlation was found between self-care agency and death anxiety (p = 0.044, r = 0.158). Elderly individuals without regular income had higher levels of death anxiety compared to those with regular income (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found in death anxiety levels with respect to the sex and marital status (p < 0.05). The low-level death anxiety on elderly individuals may have a positive effect on maintaining their self-care agency. Nurses should engage in training activities and interventions to increase the levels of self-care agency and determine the death anxiety among elderly individuals.

The Relationship Between Death Anxiety and COVID-19 Fear and Anxiety in Women With Breast Cancer

This study determined the relationship between death anxiety and COVID-19 related fear and anxiety in women with breast cancer. This is a descriptive correlation-seeking study. The research included 140 women with breast cancer who visit the day treatment unit of the oncology department of a state university hospital. Personal Information Form, Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), and Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) were used to collect data. A significant difference was found between the DAS score and body mass index (p = .019) and between FCV-19S score and COVID-19 vaccination status (p = .007). As the fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety of women with breast cancer increase, death anxiety also increases. In conclusion, death anxiety should be taken into consideration for this patient group while maintaining the continuity of care for these patients now and in future pandemics.

Self-esteem and sexual quality of life among obese women

PURPOSE

To evaluate the sexual quality of life and self-esteem of obese women and the relationship between them.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. A descriptive questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire were used to collect the data.

FINDINGS

Participants had a moderate level of self-esteem. The mean scores of the participants were 50.45 + 10.23 for Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire. A positive correlation was found between self-esteem and sexual quality of life.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

High self-esteem is positively correlated with quality of sexual life in obese woman. Physical activity increases self-esteem and sexual quality of life. Obesity impairs sexual quality of life among obese women.

The effect of testicular cancer and testicular self-examination on knowledge, attitude and health beliefs in university students in Turkey

Purpose

This research was planned and applied as a descriptive study in order to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about testicular cancer (TC) and testicular self-examination (TSE) of male students who receiving health education.

Design/methodology/approach

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2019 with male students. Early diagnosis of TC is quite important in terms of prognosis of the disease. The data were collected by using the questionnaire prepared by the researchers in accordance with the literature and the Turkish version of health belief model scale (HBMS) for TSE. The data were analyzed by number, percentage, mean and standard deviation and t test.

Findings

TSE HBMS, it was observed that the mean score of susceptibility subscale was 11.23 ± 3.73, the mean score of seriousness subscale was 28.20 ± 7.66, the mean score of benefit subscale was 21.57 ± 5.90, the mean score of the barriers subscale was 22.74 ± 5.16, the mean score of self-efficacy subscale was 9.91 ± 3.13 and the mean score of the health motivation subscale was 8.92 ± 2.84.

Originality/value

There was a statistically significant relationship between having heard of TC and health motivation (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship between the knowledge of TC and self-efficacy and health motivation (p < 0.05). There was a significant relationship between self-efficacy and TSE performing status (p < 0.05). There was also a significant relationship between the desire to obtain information about TSE and seriousness, barriers, self-efficacy and health motivation (p < 0.05). It was determined that majority of university students did not have any information about TC and TSE.

Evaluation of internet addiction and fear of missing out among nursing students

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to evaluate the internet addiction and fear of missing out (FoMO) among nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This descriptive study was conducted with 511 nursing students who consent to participate.

RESULTS

It was found that 3.8% (14 students) of the students participating in the research were "pathological internet users." There was a positive correlation between internet addiction and FoMO (r = .332; P = .000).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The finding that addiction increases with the increase in the use of social media show us that the excessive use of social media is another risk that threatens the mental health of persons.