Psychological and behavioral changes in cancer patients and their attitude towards the stressful condition and physiological changes

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the psychological and behavioral changes in cancer patients and their attitude towards the stressful condition and physiological changes.

Study design:  Tertiary hospital based prospective cross sectional analysis.

Setting: Cancer patients visited at tertiary level hospital for their treatment and follow up.

Study subjects: All age group cancer patients.

Main outcome measures: Patients’ attitude about cancer and coping measures for stressful condition before, after and during treatment.

Results: A very broad spectrum of problems that faced by patient contains physical and psychological complaints, social problems etc. As can be seen, the most frequent problems were generalized weakness (20.95%), the fear of disease progression (30.17%) and feeling of tense and nervousness (24.86%). Overall changes in impaired physical activities (34.36%) and mental status (22.35%) were observed by patients before and after treatment. The findings of present survey it has been observed that the patients involved in cancer undergo several physical and psychological effects.

Conclusions: This research survey suggests that support from the physician; family members and society people play a very important role to encourage the patients to fight against the disease. Such kind of awareness is of great significance for decreasing the morbidity rate and better quality of life of patients.