Comparing the Mental Health and Hope between Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Patients

Abstract

Mental health and hope are of great importance in cancerous patients’ compatibility and their improvement process and nurses, family members and related persons to the patients are required to get acquainted to these variables and the relationship among them. For this reason, this study is conducted to compare the mental health and hope between radiotherapy and chemotherapy patients (Man and woman). This study is descriptive with causal-comparative design. The sample included (100) cancerous patients (50 radiotherapy and 50 chemotherapy) who referred to Shahid Rajaee Hospital in Babolsar (the only specialized hospital in north of Iran) in (2012), and were selected by the random sampling method. Data are gathered by use of two questionnaires of Schneider Hope and mental health (6HQ-28). Data were analysed by use of descriptive statistic t-test with (0.05%) level of significant. The results indicated that there is no meaningful relationship between mental health and hope in radiotherapy patients, but in chemotherapy patients mental health and hope in men were more than women and chemotherapy women are more vulnerable in mental health and hope so they require more supports; therefore, the nurses and other related persons are advised to insist more on multilateral supports which have a great impact on augmenting the level of mental health and hope and consequently improving treatment process of patients. Besides, hospitals could initiate apalliative care centre by the presence of the psychologists for consultation and conducting training courses for patients.