Relationship of Mechanism of Coping and Psychological Problems in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Abstract Background Cancer patients (including Breast Cancer) are faced with health problems and chemotherapy side effects, that can cause psychological problems (anxiety and depression). Coping mechanism (CM) helps prevent psychological problems. Patients can develop adaptive or maladaptive CM. The aim of the study is to evaluate the correlation between CM and the psychological problems in breast cancer patients. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in General Hospital in Tangerang, from October 2018-February 2019. The samples are breast cancer patients that have undergone mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Data were collected using Cancer Coping Questionnaire (CCQ-21) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Baseline characteristics were presented using descriptive statistics. Correlation between both variables was analyzed with Somerśd using SPSS version 24.0. Result Samples are 29 breast cancer patients with a mean age of 49.93 ±11.473. 19 (65.5%) had adaptive CM, and 10 (34.5%) had maladaptive CM. Out of 19 patients with adaptive CM, 47.4% do not have anxiety, 26.3% in borderline, and 26.3% had anxiety; while, 57.9% do not have depression, 42.1% are in borderline, and none had depression. Out of 10 patients with maladaptive CM, 60% do not have anxiety, 30% in borderline, and 10% had anxiety; meanwhile, 80% do not have depression, 10% is in borderline, and 10% had depression. The correlation between CM and anxiety is r = 0.358 (p-value =0.356). The correlation between CM and depression is r =0.581 (p-value =0.340). Conclusion Most patients with adaptive and maladaptive CM had normal psychological health. Therefore, we can conclude that CM does not correlate with psychological health in breast cancer patients. There are many factors that may affect those problems. It is necessary to include other factors and more sample in order to obtain a more accurate Result.