Abstract
Hope is of great importance for patients diagnosed with cancer, especially those that are terminally ill. The diagnosis often puts an end to the realization of personal, social, and professional goals. The aim of this study was to characterize the hope of hospitalized patients diagnosed with cancer in the terminal phase of the disease. The research tool used in the study was Block’s hope test (NCN-36; NCN- Nadzieja Chorych Nowotworowych—Hope of Cancer Patients), designed for patients with life-threatening diseases. The results showed that the patients were characterized by a moderate level of global hope. The highest levels of hope were noted in the spiritual-religious area and the lowest levels of hope concerned curing the disease. Patients exhibited varied levels of hope and varied internal structures of hope. They presented four different types of hope: optimistic, moderate, religious, and weak. Optimistic hope was found most frequently in patients diagnosed with a terminal phase of cancer, while weak hope was represented by the smallest group of these patients.
Highlights
Hope is a fundamental quality of human nature
The global results show that the patients are characterized by a moderate level of hope (M = 4.52, Me = 4.47)
Our study shows that the patients in the terminal phase of cancer can be characterized by a low–moderate level of hope (M = 4.52)
Summary
Hope is a fundamental quality of human nature. It is experienced regardless of age, culture, place of origin, or ethnicity. It has many meanings and is difficult to define [1]. According to Snyder, hope is a dynamic and multilayered mental process, composed of three integral elements: goals, agency, and routes. It is a sum of motivational energy (internal force) and specific routes (strategies, visions, plans to realize goals) leading to the desired goal (destination). All three components are necessary for hope to work properly [11,12]
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