The investigation of the relationship between social support and the levels of hopelessness perceived by the relatives of cancer patients

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between social support and the levels of hopelessness perceived by the relatives of the cancer patient. To this end, the relationship between social support (family, friends and private support) and hopelessness (feelings about the future, motivation loss, expectation) level of the patients' relatives was investigated. The sample of the research consists of 130 people who are relatives of cancer patients receiving treatment in Ambulatory Chemotherapy Ward in Istanbul Training and Research Hospital. "Socio-demographic Information Form" developed by the researcher was used in order to learn the socio-demographic information of the relatives of cancer patients. The level of social support perceived by the patients' relatives was measured by the "Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS)" developed by Zimet et al., adapted by Eker and Arkar into Turkish in 1995. The level of hopelessness of the patients' relatives was assessed with the Beck Hopelessness Scale, which Seber adapted into Turkish in 1991. The result of the research shows us that there is a significant relationship between the level of social support and hopelessness that the relatives of cancer patients perceive. Statistical analyzes revealed that the level of hopelessness decreased as the social support perceived by the patients' relatives increased. The consistency of findings with the literature and other variables that may have an effect on the results were discussed and various suggestions were presented Keywords: Cancer, Social Support, Hopelessness, Health-Illness, Patient-Patient Affinity, Family