Transitoriness in Cancer Patients: a Cross-Sectional Study of Uncertainty, Locus of Control, Quality of Life and Existentials Views on Finality of Life in Cancer Patients
Cancer is the second leading cause of death among individuals in the United States of
America (Ries et al., 2000). Gastro-intestinal (GI) cancers account for approximately
253,500 new cases each year in both men and women. Most of the patients with GI cancer have
a poor outcome (American Cancer Society., 2005; Ilson, 2001), accounting for approximately
16% of cancer related death in women and 25% of cancer related death in men (American Cancer
Society, 2005). Of all cancers, lung cancer is the leading cause for death among men and
women (American Cancer Society., 2005).
GI cancer constitutes a disease with intensive medical research focused on the improvement
of prevention, early detection and treatment. How patients with GI cancer deal with the
diagnosis remains understudied to date. Lung cancer research has focused particularly on
smoking and its impact on lung cancer epidemiology. Lung cancer patients' coping strategies
have been studied. Issues related to the meaning of life, health and self-care, physical
functioning, coping and support have been highlighted as being important in lung cancer
patients' dealing with their disease situation (Maliski, Sarna, Evangelista, & Padilla,
2003; Sharf, Stelljes, & Gordon, 2005). Similarly, patients' dealing with a diagnosis of
breast cancer has been investigated (Andritsch et al., 2004; Badger, Braden, Mishel, &
Longman, 2004; Northouse, Templin, Mood, & Oberst, 1998). Constructs such as uncertainty and
locus control are highly important in coping with the disease situation. Uncertainty has
been linked with quality of life (Sammarco, 2001;2003). Evidence also exists that
transitoriness, which is the confrontation with the finitude of human life, plays an
important role in how individuals cope (Cohen et al., 2004; Shaha & Cox, 2003). The
interrelationship between and among transitoriness, uncertainty and locus of control has yet
to be delineated. There is also a need to explore transitoriness more fully as it has mainly
been subsumed in concepts such as 'finding meaning in illness' or 'anxiety' (Houldin, 2003).
Transitoriness has been linked with patient outcomes such as quality of life (Houldin,
2003). It is necessary to explore the concept of transitoriness to establish its links with
uncertainty and locus of control. It is equally important to explore the association of
these three concepts together with patients' psycho-social well-being and quality of life.
By exploring these associations, the individual's way of coping with the cancer diagnosis
will be better understood and lead to the development of nursing interventions to support
persons with cancer, especially those with lung and GI cancer.
It will then be possible a) to explore the concept of transitoriness by describing its
interrelationship with uncertainty and locus of control, and b) to investigate the
association among transitoriness, uncertainty, locus of control, psycho-social well-being
and quality of life. The following research questions will be addressed in the study:
1. Is cancer patients' confrontation with life's finitude related to uncertainty and locus
of control?
2. Are cancer patients' confrontation with life's finitude, uncertainty and locus of
control associated with psychosocial well-being and quality of life?
3. Are there differences in these associations between patients with different forms of
cancer?
Observational
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
Anne E Belcher, PhD
Principal Investigator
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
United States: Institutional Review Board
J0601
NCT00364078
June 2006
August 2007
Name | Location |
---|---|
Johns Hopkins Hospital | Baltimore, Maryland 21287 |
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center | Baltimore, Maryland 21224 |