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The loneliness level of patients with gynecological cancer.

Sevil U, Ertem G, Kavlak O, Coban A

Gynecology and Obstetric Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. udemir@hemsirelik.ege.edu.tr

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the loneliness levels and the variables that have an effect on the loneliness of women with a gynecological cancer diagnosis. The main questions that the study addressed were as follows: (1) What is the loneliness level of patients with gynecological cancer? and (2) What kind of relationships are there between general demographic characteristics of patients with gynecological cancer and their loneliness? This descriptive study was conducted at Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Application and Investigation Hospital, Maternity and Women Diseases Gynecology Clinic, from July to December 2002. Maternity and Women Diseases Clinic Oncology Service treated 161 patients during this time period. While all patients hospitalized between the specified dates constituted the universe of the investigation; the actual sample was 94 patients. As data collection tools, a questionnaire form, which aimed at identifying sociodemographic characteristics of patients and the features related to their diseases relevant to the literature and the UCLA-loneliness scale were used. The general loneliness mean score of women with gynecological cancer was 35.85 +/- 9.302. Women's mean scores of loneliness were affected by whether psychologic support was needed, genital organ diseases were treated, or a family member had a gynecological operation, and by the income situation. The disease of cancer, which creates the most fear and anxiety in the community, has adverse psychologic effects on both the patient and the family. In societies where men dominate, as is the case in our society, women's place in the society has been reduced to their reproductive capacity, and thus, the health of their genital organs is very important.

Published 6 March 2006 in Int J Gynecol Cancer, 16: 472-7.
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