The effect of social support perceptions of relatives whoprovide primary care to cancer patients on stress level

This work; It was conducted in a descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational type to determine the effect of social support perceptions of relatives who provide primary care to cancer patients treated as inpatients in palliative care and medical oncology clinics on stress levels and its relationship with various variables. The sample of the study consisted of 180 patient relatives, 47 men and 133 women, who were followed up as inpatients at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Palliative Care Application and Research Center and medical oncology clinic between 5 July 2022 and 15 January 2023. The data of the study were collected by face-to-face interview method using the Descriptive Characteristics Information Form, the Stress Coping Style Scale (SBSTS) and the Caregiver Social Support Scale Form (BVSDÖF). SPSS for Windows 25.0 program was used to evaluate the data of the research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, parametric tests, t-test in independent groups, One Way Anova Analysis, Post-Hoc Tukey HSD, Tamhane's, Pearson Correlation analysis. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to determine predictive power. In the statistical tests performed, 95% confidence interval and p<0.05 were taken as the significance level. The average age of caregivers is 51.64±11.78, the duration of care is 12.38±15.40 years and the daily caregiving time is 11.73±4.33 hours. 73.9% of the caregivers are women, 83% are women, It was determined that 9 of them were married, 90% lived in a nuclear family, 40% were primary school graduates and 93.3% had children. 71.1% of caregivers stated that they had social security, 58.3% did not work, 59.4% were housewives and 44.4% stated that their income was more than their expenses. 41.7% of caregivers stated that the patient they cared for had a child, 61.7% stated that they received help, 72.3% stated that their physical needs were met, and 63.3% stated that they had a good relationship with their patient. 56.1% of caregivers had a chronic disease, 36.1% were diagnosed with hypertension, 9.4% had a diagnosed mental illness (depressive disorder), 95% did not receive psychological support, 6.1% It was determined that 100,000 people used medication for their mental problems and 94.4% of them had no idea of getting psychological support. It was determined that the duration of illness of the patients receiving care was 19.67±23.13 years, 65.6% were not working and 96.1% were living with family members. 56.1% stated the health status of their patients receiving care as "fair". 25% of the patients had stomach cancer and 48.9% had Stage 3; It was determined that 69.4% received chemotherapy, 25% received radiotherapy and 7.8% received hormone therapy. When we look at the mean scores of the caregivers on the BVSDÖF and SBST, the mean score on the Instrumental Support sub-dimension of the caregivers is 19.89±3.30, the mean score on the Information Support sub-dimension is 9.43±1.88, and the mean score on the Emotional Support sub-dimension is 8.87±1. .60 and the total scale score average was found to be 38.20±5.92. Caregivers' SDTS Self-Confident Approach Sub-Dimension mean score is 13.00±2.45, Optimistic Approach Sub-Dimension mean score is 9.51±1.81, Helpless Approach Sub-Dimension mean score is 10.68±3.03, Submissive Approach Sub-Dimension mean score is 13.00±2.45. It was determined that the Dimension mean score was 9.13±2.20, the Social Support Seeking Approach Sub-Dimension mean score was 6.20±1.95, and the total score mean was 48.53±4.03. A statistically significant relationship was found between the BVSDSF and SBST scores averages (p<0.05). There is a statistically significant and positive relationship between the BVSDÖF and all subscale score averages and the Self-Confident Approach, Optimistic Approach and Social Support Seeking Approach subscale score averages of the SBSTÖ. There is a statistically significant and negative relationship between the mean scores of the BVSDS and all subscales and the helpless approach and submissive approach subscales of the SBST. In our study, it was determined that there is a strong relationship between the social support provided by primary caregivers from their environment and coping with stress. It has been observed that social support positively affects primary caregivers' self-confidence, optimism, and ability to ask for social support from those around them when they need it, and that social support reduces primary caregivers' feelings of helplessness and submissive behavior.