Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy Uncertainty In Illness And Coping Styles Of Research

Illness uncertainty, which is a main experience of patients, has effect on their therapyadherence, mental health and quality of life. However, there has been no study relatedto illness uncertainty of breast cancer women undergoing chemotherapy in China.Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe uncertainty in illness and copingstyle of postoperative breast cancer women undergoing chemotherapy, and explore therelated factors of illness uncertainty in individual characteristics, as well as thecorrelation between illness uncertainty and coping style.Methods: A descriptive and correlative design was employed. By convenientsampling, 147 breast cancer women undergoing chemotherapy in six tertiary hospitalsof Beijing were recruited in the study. Three instruments were used to collect data: (1)the demographic form; (2) the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale for Adult(MUIS-A); (3) the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ).Results: All the patients experienced illness uncertainty, and the average score ofuncertainty was 87.46±9.92. In individual characteristics, three factors had influenceon the illness uncertainty: chemotherapy times, side effects and education. Comparingwith general female patients, the resignation score of MCMQ of women in this studywas higher. The score of illness uncertainty was negatively correlated withconfrontation and avoidance, and it was positively correlated with resignation.Conclusions: The level of illness uncertainty of breast cancer women undergoingchemotherapy was middle. The uncertainty arose mainly from unpredictability andambiguity. Women in the earlier chemotherapy times, with more side effects or lowereducation level experienced more uncertainty, and would need more care. Comparingwith general female patients, women in this study used more resigned coping style.Correlations between illness uncertainty and coping style existed in breast cancerwomen undergoing chemotherapy. Moreover, these findings may help nurses designspecific interventions including appropriate coping strategies for their patients.