The role of perceived social support and spiritual care needs in predicting hope in oncology patients

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the role of perceived social support and spiritual care needs in predicting hope in oncology patients. The research was carried out between August 2022 and January 2023 in the oncology and internal/surgical wards and chemotherapy-radiotherapy treatment units where oncology patients were followed up and treated in Hacettepe University Oncology Hospital, Ankara Atatürk Sanatory Education and Research Hospital and Ankara Education and Research Hospital. 134 oncology patients were included in the study. "Descriptive Data Form", "Herth Hope Scale", "Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support" and "Spiritual Care Needs Scale" were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation and multiple linear stepwise regression analyzes were used for data analysis. It was determined that the mean scores of hope and perceived social support of the oncology patients participating in the study were above the average score that could be obtained from the scale, and the mean scores of spiritual care needs were below the average score. A significant correlation was found between hope and perceived social support, and a significant negative correlation was found between hope and spiritual care needs (p<0.05). It was found that perceived social support explained 11.7% of hope scores, and a one-unit increase in the perceived social support score caused an average of 0.344-unit increase in the hope score. It was concluded that spiritual care needs did not have a significant effect on predicting hope. In line with the results obtained from the research, it can be recommended to improve the perception of social support in interventions to increase hope in oncology patients, to make social support resources aware and to include spiritual care needs in the planning since they may have an indirect effect.