Indicators of the psychoemotional state of palliative polymorbid cancer patients

Abstract

Introduction. Palliative care is aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life of the patient. Without taking into account the psychosocial aspects, psychological rehabilitation is impossible in the conditions of a psychotraumatic situation of the disease.The aim of the study was to assess the psychoemotional state of polymorbid palliative cancer patients.Materials and methods. An observational, analytical, single-stage (cross-sectional) study was conducted, which included 74 cancer patients of a palliative profile. The patients underwent laboratory and instrumental examination. The following tests were evaluated: resilience (S. Maddy's method, D. A. Leontiev's adaptation), life-sense orientations, the level of subjective control, C. D. Spielberger, the severity of chronic pain syndrome; the value of the Charlson comorbidity index, the Karnovsky index (ECOG) was calculated.Results. The level of the comorbidity index was 3 [2; 5] points, the intensity of chronic pain syndrome-2 [2; 3] points, ECOG-2 [2; 3] points. In polymorbid cancer palliative patients, the presence of a belief in the impact of the struggle on the outcome of what is happening was revealed, however, patients are not always ready to act in a difficult situation. In the examined group, signs of dissatisfaction with their life in the present prevailed, the lack of sufficient freedom of choice, the existence of hope for recovery as a result of the actions of others, primarily doctors. The average (and in some cases high) level of situational and personal anxiety was noted. The association of the comorbidity index and the indicators of the life-meaning orientations test; the indicator of the general internality scale and the ECOG value; the glomerular filtration rate and the indicator of resilience, risk acceptance was revealed. A number of correlations between the indicators of the psychoemotional state and laboratory parameters (the level of hemoglobin, albumin, iron, C-reactive protein) were noted.Conclusion. In cancer patients with a palliative profile, signs of mental maladaptation were revealed. The average (and in some cases high) level of situational and personal anxiety was noted. The revealed number of correlations focuses on the role of chronic non-communicable diseases in aggravating the psychoemotional status of chronic polymorbid cancer palliative patients.