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Psychological distress, social support, self-management ability and utilization of social resources for female patients with cancer in Oncology Outpatient Settings in Taiwan

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Abstract

Oncology outpatient care centers generally subjugate patients’ psychosocial needs to their physical care requirements. Consequently, the patients’ self-management (SM) ability and utilization of social resources are essential in regulating their psychological distress (anxiety and depression). The study aims were (1) to examine the prevalence and severity of psychological distress in female cancer patients in outpatient settings in Taiwan and (2) to identify the major factors of psychological distress. Female cancer patients were recruited from oncology outpatient settings in Taiwan. Patients completed the questionnaires of anxiety, depression, social support, and utilization of social resources, and SM ability. In total, 116 patients were included. A total of 17.2% and 21.6% of the patients were at risk of anxiety and depression, respectively. Patients’ mean anxiety and depression scores were 4.2 (SD = 4.1) and 4.1 (SD = 4.0), respectively. The patients’ physical function, attendance of social support groups, degree of social support, and SM ability had a significant effect on their anxiety and depression. Patients’ anxiety was intensified by the presence of comorbidity. Health professionals in oncology outpatient care centers should assess the patients’ physical function, comorbidity, SM ability, and social support/engagement in order to reduce their psychological distress and devise appropriate follow-up interventions.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the patients at the medical center in northern Taiwan for their voluntary participation in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Chia-Tai Hung, Jui-Chun Chan & In-Fun Li

  2. Department of Nursing, Da-Yeh University, Changhua, Taiwan

    Yen-Ju Chen

  3. Shool of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yuan-Yuan Fang & Yun-Hsiang Lee

  4. Department of Nursing, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei & New Taipei City, Taiwan

    In-Fun Li & Hsin-Yi Ku

  5. Division of Chest and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackey Memorial Hospital, Taipei & New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Hui-Hsuan Shih

  6. Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wen-Tzu Chiu & Yun-Hsiang Lee

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  1. Chia-Tai Hung
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Correspondence to Yun-Hsiang Lee.

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Hung, CT., Chen, YJ., Chan, JC. et al. Psychological distress, social support, self-management ability and utilization of social resources for female patients with cancer in Oncology Outpatient Settings in Taiwan. Support Care Cancer 28, 3323–3330 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-05143-y

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