Psychosocial Determinants of Breast Cancer Survival (A Study among Breast Cancer Patients)

Abstract

The study used a cross-sectional survey method approach to investigate coping and psychosocial adjustment among cancer patients and how these are influenced by personal factors, social support, and illness-related factors. 98 cancer patients were conveniently sampled from the Radiotherapy Centre of the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. The Coping Orientation of Problem Experience Inventory, Life Orientation Test–Revised Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy- Spiritual Well Being, Medical Outcome Studies Social Support Survey, The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale and a demographic questionnaire were used to measure coping, optimism, anxiety/depression, spirituality, social support, psychosocial adjustment and demographic characteristics respectively. The results revealed almost all key variables of the study including age, educational level, stage of cancer, spirituality, optimism, social support, depression, anxiety and coping were significantly related with psychosocial adjustment. Whilst educational level and spirituality mediated between coping and psychosocial adjustment, optimism, social support, depression and medical factors like stage of cancer and previous surgery (mastectomy) moderated between coping and psychosocial adjustment. Many of these findings support previous research though some conflict with prior results. The implication however of these outcomes is that coping is associated with these factors to influence adjustment for cancer survivors to a certain degree.