Pok-Ja Oh; Yeon-Joo Lee

doi:10.4040/jkan.2008.38.2.270

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Original Article
Predictors of Fighting Spirit or Helplessness/Hopelessness in People with Cancer: Pok-Ja Oh, Yeon-Joo Lee; Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2008;38(2):270-277.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.2.270
Published online: April 30, 2008

¹Professor, Department of Nursing, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea.

²Master's Course Student, Department of Nursing, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Oh, Pok-Ja. Department Nursing, Sahmyook University, Chungryang P.O. Box 118, Seoul 130-650, Korea. Tel: 82-2-3399-1589, Fax: 82-2-3399-1594, ohpj@syu.ac.kr

• Received: March 5, 2008 • Accepted: March 26, 2008

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Abstract
NOTES
REFERENCES

Abstract

Purpose
This study was done to identify predictors of the fighting spirit or helplessness/hopelessness in the patients' mental adjustment to cancer. Cancer patients' characteristics like performance status, metastasis and duration of diagnosis with demographic factors, spiritual support and social support were used as predictors of a fighting spirit or helplessness/hopelessness.
Methods
total of 124 ambulatory cancer patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale and responded in a structured instrument about their characteristics, spiritual and social support.
Results
The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that confidence in the supporter (R²=.114, p=.000), duration of cancer diagnosis (R²=.041, p=.000) and faith (R²=.030, p=.000) were predictive of a fighting spirit (R²=.185, p=.000); whereas, education (R²= .074, p=.001), performance status (R²=.055, p=.000), satisfaction with social support (R²=.046, p=.000), and metastasis (R²=.037, p=.000) were predictive of helplessness/hopelessness (R²=.202, p=.000).
Conclusion
Social support, spiritual support and disease related factors like metastasis, performance status, and duration of cancer diagnosis need to be considered in a psychosocial nursing intervention for a fighting spirit or helplessness/hopelessness.
Keywords: Cancer patient; Fighting Spirit; Helplessness

This work was supported by the Sahmyook University Research Foundation Grant.

REFERENCES

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Table 1

General Characteristics of the Subject (N=124)

Table 2

Mean of the Spiritual Support, Social Support, Fighting Spirit and Helplessness/Hopelessness

Table 3

Correlation among the Variables

Table 4

Predictors of Fighting Spirit

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².

Table 5

Predictors of Helplessness

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².

Figure & Data

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Predictors of Fighting Spirit or Helplessness/Hopelessness in People with Cancer

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. 2008;38(2):270-277. Published online April 30, 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.2.270

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Predictors of Fighting Spirit or Helplessness/Hopelessness in People with Cancer

Table 1

General Characteristics of the Subject (N=124)

Table 2

Mean of the Spiritual Support, Social Support, Fighting Spirit and Helplessness/Hopelessness

Table 3

Correlation among the Variables

Table 4

Predictors of Fighting Spirit

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².

Table 5

Predictors of Helplessness

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².

Table 1 General Characteristics of the Subject (N=124)

Table 2 Mean of the Spiritual Support, Social Support, Fighting Spirit and Helplessness/Hopelessness

Table 3 Correlation among the Variables

Table 4 Predictors of Fighting Spirit

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².

Table 5 Predictors of Helplessness

^*Cum. R²=Cumulative R².