Since cancer is not easily curable, patients who suffer from cancer may have physical, psychological and spiritual problems for the rest of their lives. Especially when cancer patients do not have much to live for and are placing a burden on their family they will experience more suffering emotionally as much as physically. This study was conducted to provide a basis of data for nursing intervention strategies to minimize a cancer patient`s suffering and to understand the relationship between suffering, burden and the meaning of life in cancer patients. The samples were composed of 160 cancer patients who were inpatients or outpatients of two university hospitals and two general hospitals in Seoul. Data collection were carried out from January, 25, 1999 to February, 26, 1999. The data were analyzed using a SAS program for descriptive statistics, pearson correlations, ANOVA, and Duncan tests. The results were as follows; 1. The scores on the two suffering scale ranged from 132 to 40 with a mean of 87.3(SD 17.5). The mean scores on the burden scale is 28.9(SD 6.9) and the score of the meaning of life ranged from 35 to 51 with a mean of 95.6(SD 18.4). 2. There were significant correlations between the amount of suffering and the magnitude of burden (r=.74, p=.00), the suffering and the meaning of life (r=-.59, p=.00) and the burden and meaning of life (r=-.61, p=.00). 3. In the degree of the suffering, the burden and the meaning of life were two very strong factors, the level of the suffering in cancer patients by age (F=2.64, p=.03) and education level (F=4.16, p=.00). The level of the burden in cancer patients differed by education level (F=4.70, p=.00) and type of cancer (F=2.97, p= .03). Also the level of the meaning of life in cancer patients was different by education level (F=3.55, p=.02). In conclusion, the burden and the meaning of life was identified as important variable that is contributed to reduce the suffering of cancer patients.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• The Influences of Family Support on the Meaning of Life in Cancer Patients
  Min Jung Kim, Min Sung Kim
  Journal of Families and Better Life.2023; 41(2): 19.     CrossRef
• Effects of Meaning in Life and Social Support on Posttraumatic Growth in Pancreatic Cancer Survivors
  Youjin Kim, Boyoung Hwang
  Journal of Korean Academy of psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.2021; 30(4): 330.     CrossRef
• Preoperative Uncertainty, Meaning of Life, and Anxiety in Cancer Patients
  Kyungmi Youn, Jongeun Lee
  Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.2018; 27(3): 208.     CrossRef
• The Relationships among Social Support, Hope, Anxiety, and Depression in Patients Expecting to Receive Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  Ka Ryeong Bae, Sue Kim
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2016; 28(1): 30.     CrossRef
• The Effect of Suffering Experience, Empathy Ability, Caring Behaviors on Terminal Care Performance of Clinical Nurses
  Kae Hwa Jo, Ae Ran Park, Jin Ju Lee, Su Jung Choi
  The Korean Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care.2015; 18(4): 276.     CrossRef
• Nursing interventions to promote dignified dying in South Korea
  Kae-Hwa Jo, Ki-Wol Sung, Ardith Z Doorenbos, Elizabeth Hong, Tessa Rue, Amy Coenen
  International Journal of Palliative Nursing.2011; 17(8): 392.     CrossRef
• The Effect of Logotherapy on the Suffering, Finding Meaning, and Spiritual Well-being of Adolescents with Terminal Cancer
  Kyung-Ah Kang, Jae-Im Im, Hee-Su Kim, Shin-Jeong Kim, Mi-Kyung Song, Songyong Sim
  Journal of Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing.2009; 15(2): 136.     CrossRef
• Meaning of Life in Wives of Alcoholics: Autobiographical Method
  Sunhee Cho
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2008; 38(5): 758.     CrossRef

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• Developing a Model for Autobiography Writing to Promote Mental Health Using an AI Powered Platform
  Jinsu Chung, Jaewon Lee, Wontaek Oh, Sungmin Kim, Juwon Lee, Sangwoo Kim
  The Journal of Korean Academy of Physical Therapy Science.2024; 31(3): 1.     CrossRef
• The Impact of the Logotherapy-Based Spiritually Oriented Group Counseling on Meaning in Life and Multi-Measure Agentic Personality Levels of Emerging Adults
  Hatice Vildan Yıldız
  Spiritual Psychology and Counseling.2023; 8(1): 27.     CrossRef
• Effects of Group Logotherapy Training on Self-Esteem, Communication Skills, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) in Older Adults
  Ali Soroush, Arash Ziapour, Jaffar Abbas, Iran Jahanbin, Bahare Andayeshgar, Farideh Moradi, Sahar Najafi, Elham Cheraghpouran
  Ageing International.2022; 47(4): 758.     CrossRef
• Effectiveness of Group Logotherapy on Life Expectancy & Loneliness of Minority Aged Community in Southwest Iran
  Abdolrahim Asadollahi
  MOJ Gerontology & Geriatrics.2017;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on Depression, Quality of Life, Ego-Integrity, Social Behavior Function, and Activies of Daily Living in Elderly Patients With Mild Dementia
  HaeKyung Jo, Eunju Song
  Educational Gerontology.2015; 41(1): 1.     CrossRef
• The Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Hope, Dependency, and Perceived Health Status of Elderly Women
  Yong Ju Park, Ja Ok Kim
  Journal of muscle and joint health.2014; 21(2): 106.     CrossRef