Mental problems of leukemia patients and their styles of coping WİTH stress

This research was conducted to determine the mental problems observed in leukemia patients and their styles of coping with stress. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out between September 2020 and April 2020. Leukemia patients hospitalized in the Hematology Service of the SANKO University Hospital located in the city center of Gaziantep formed the population of the study. The study was completed with 120 patients who accepted to participate in the research. The data were collected face to face via "Personal Information Form", "Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)" and "Coping with Stress Scale (SSS)". 61.7% of the patients were male, the mean age was 50.4±17.8 years, and 45% were 56 years and older in the study. It was determined that 30.8% of the patients were diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), 35% were in the 2nd stage, and the diagnosis period of 35% was between 6-12 months. The median, minimum, and maximum values of the total score of SSS are 40.5 (20-67), the self-confidence approach is 10 (1-21), the optimistic approach is 7 (1-15), the helpless approach is 10 (0-24), and the submissive approach score is median, minimum, maximum value is 8 (2-17). The median, minimum, and maximum value of BSI total score was 76 (15-167); anxiety 14 (0-44); depression is 20.5 (3-43), negative self is 13 (0-42), somatization is 17 (3-27) and the median, minimum and maximum value of hostility score is 8.5 (0-27). The median, minimum and maximum values of the RCI, positive symptom total (BTI) and symptom total index (STI) sub-dimension scores are 1.43 (0.28-3.15), 37 (7-53), 2.08 (1.18-3.39), respectively. SSS total scale score and Depression (r=0.210) subscale were positively weak; Somatization (r=-0.255), Hostility (r=-0.181) and BTI (r=-0.180) scale scores were found to have a weak inverse correlation (p<0.05). It was determined that there was a strong positive correlation with the BSI total scale score and the BTI (r=0.879) scale score, and a moderately positive relationship with the STI (r=0.671) scale score (p<0.05). Mental problems appeared in leukemia patients and their reduction of coping power can cause them to face many problems. At this point, evaluation of psychosocial needs by a specialist psychiatric nurse throughout the treatment process, planning the physical, psychological and daily life supportive care needs of patients with prolonged diagnosis and the presence of metastases is important. Keywords: Leukemia; Mental Problems; Coping with Stress, Psychiatric Nursing