Determination of effects of perceived social support level on the chemotherapy symptoms for the women with gynecologic cancer

Determination of Effects of Perceived Social Support Level on the Chemotherapy Symptoms For the Women with Gynecologic Cancer This research has been done in order to identify the effects of social support level that is perceived by the women having gynecologic cancer,on the chemotherapy symptoms. Patients who applied to the out-patient chemotherapy centre of Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Kadın Sağlığı Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi and Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Onkoloji Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi in 2010 participated. 148 patients who satisfy the criteria(Section 1.3) constitutes the samples of the research. Data were collected using the survey form developed by the researcher, chemotherapy symptom assessment scale and multidimensional scale of perceived social support Shapiro-Wilk test, count, percentage, midrange, IRQ average, standard deviation, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric analysis of variance, students' t test, Chi-square test and correlation analysis test were used during the evaluation of the data. multidimensional scale of perceived social support midrange points of our patients was calculated as 49.0 . It has been determined that, age of the patient, marrial status, individuals that patient is living with, districts patient is living in and state of taking precautions against side effects influence the social support (p<0.05). When average chemotherapy symptom assessment scale points are taken into consideration, it is seen that the highest complaint is "weakness" and "incredible tiredness" with average point of 4.8±1.3 . Symptom that has the least complaint has been determined as "Change in Sexual Life" with 2.0±0.0. While educational status of the patient, individuals that patient is living with, diagnostic that patient gets, getting information about the chemotherapy and its side effects, having problems related to the chemotherapy taken previously have relations with some symptoms in the chemotherapy symptom assessment scale (p<0.05), they are not effecting the existence status of some symptoms (p>0.05). It has been determined that there is a relation between multidimensional scale of perceived social support and symptom of problems with skin and nails, mouth and throat, weight, difficulty of falling asleep, feeling worried and nervous, feeling pessimistic and upset(p<0.05). In this work, it has been found out that social support has significant relation with some symptoms related to chemotherapy, whereas it does not have any effects on some symptoms.Keywords: Gynecologic cancer, social support, chemotherapy