PO-099 Age differences in coping strategies among patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

IntroductionBackgroundColon and/or rectum cancer (CRC) patients use various strategies to cope with their condition, and these can vary between age groups.ObjectiveTo investigate differences between psychosocial/spiritual variables and coping strategies in CRC patients of different age groups (younger vs. older) and to identify the predictors of coping for both age groups.Material and methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at 3 outpatient clinics in Korea. The Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), Social Support Scale, and Self-Transcendence Scale were used to measure psychosocial and spiritual variables; the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale was used to assess cancer-specific coping strategies.Results and discussionsBoth younger and older patients who were psychologically distressed used more maladaptive coping. Individuals who received less social support from healthcare providers used more maladaptive coping strategies. For younger patients, self-transcendence was the only significant predictor of both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies; for older patients, HADS was the only significant predictor of maladaptive coping.Our findings suggest that age differences in regard to psychological distress, social support, and self-transcendence are important protective or risk factors for the coping styles adopted by CRC patients. This finding suggests that age may be a salient factor affecting coping related to psychological and social variables of patients with CRC; older patients with CRC exhibit greater psychological distress and a tendency to utilise less adaptive strategies of coping. In summary, health care professionals should be aware of patients’ coping strategies, and should take them into account when planning age-specific, coping-related interventions before hospital discharge.ConclusionDifferences in psychological distress, social support, and self-transcendence due to age are important protective or risk factors for the use of coping strategies among CRC patients.