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. 2018 May-Jun;40(3):232-238.
doi: 10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_512_17.

Stress and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: Medical and Psychological Intervention

Prasad Vijay Barre  1 , Gadiraju Padmaja  2 , Suvashisa Rana  2 , Tiamongla  2
Affiliations

Stress and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: Medical and Psychological Intervention

Prasad Vijay Barre et al. Indian J Psychol Med. 2018 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Cancer pervades many dimensions of an individual's life - demanding a holistic treatment approach. However, studies with combined medical and psychological interventions (MPIs) are sparse. High-level stress and poor quality of life (QoL) can hinder patients' prognosis. The study thus aimed to analyze the impact of combined medical and psychological (psychoeducation, relaxation technique-guided imagery, and cognitive therapy) interventions on stress and QoL of cancer patients - head and neck, breast, and lung cancers.

Methods: The study was conducted in cancer hospitals employing one-group pretest-posttest-preexperimental design. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Cohen's d, and bar graphs were used to analyze the data.

Results: Findings showed high impact of the combined MPIs in reducing both the overall stress as well as the various components of the stress scale-fear, psychosomatic complaints, information deficit, and everyday life restrictions. Significant changes were also seen in QoL and its domains - global health status, besides functional and symptom scales. Results showed a significant improvement in physical, role and emotional functioning scale, while decrement in fatigue, pain, insomnia, appetite loss, diarrhea, and constipation of symptoms scales.

Conclusions: It can be concluded that combined MPI has a positive impact - decreasing stress and improving QoL in cancer patients, which can further enhance their prognosis.

Keywords: Cancer; quality of life; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean stress scores of cancer patients' pre-and-post-medical and psychological assessment. Note: Stress: Overall Stress, PSC: Psychosomatic complaints, FR: Fears, ID: Information deficits, ELR: Everyday life restrictions, SS: Social strains
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean global health status/quality of life scores of cancer patients in pre-and-post-medical and psychological assessment. Note: GHS/QoL: Global Health Status/Quality of Life, PF2: Physical Functioning, RF2: Role Functioning, EF: Emotional Functioning, F: Cognitive functioning, SF: Social functioning, FA: Fatigue, NV: Nausea and vomiting, PA: Pain, DY: Dyspnea, SL: Sleeping, AP: Appetite loss, CO: Constipation, DI: Diarrhea, FI: Financial difficulties
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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