Factors predicting loneliness of hospitalized cancer patients in Chonburi Cancer Hospital

47^th Global Nursing & Healthcare Conference

March 01-03, 2018 | London, UK

Laddawal Vonk

Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

The predictive correlational research aimed to study the loneliness of hospitalized cancer patients in Chonburi Cancer Hospital and its predictive factors (stress, self-esteem, and pain). Sample random sampling was used to identify the samples - cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery, admitted to the female, male, and semi-intensive care units in Chonburi Cancer Hospital. They also met the inclusion criteria. The sample size was 77. This study applied 5 questionnaires for data collection: Personal information, Thai version of 10-Item Perceived Stress Scale, Rosenberg�s SelfEsteem Scale, Loneliness Scale, and Pain Numeric Ratting Scale. The consistency reliability was used to test the Thai version of 10-Item Perceived Stress Scale, Rosenberg�s Self-Esteem Scale, and Loneliness Scale. Their Cronbach�s alpha coefficient values were .83, .88, and .95 respectively. The Pain Numeric Rating Scale was tested by the test-retest method (r=.98). The data were analysed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression (Stepwise). The result demonstrated that the cancer-patient samples had the moderate degree of both loneliness ( =68.18, SD=6.73) and stress ( =24.97, SD=5.42). However, they had the high level of self-esteem ( =34.48, SD=4.54) and low severity level of pain ( =3.39, SD=2.26). To predict loneliness, there was only one factor, that is stress (R2=.156, p<.001) Thus, cancer patients who had stress tended to experience loneliness. Nurses should recognize, understand, and investigate how to manage stress to prevent loneliness in hospitalized cancer patients.

Biography :

Laddawal Vonk is a graduate Nursing Student (Adult Nursing) of Faculty of Nursing, Burapha University. Her nursing experience involves cancer patients (about 19 years) as an Oncology Nurse and in the position of Head Nurse in the male ordinary ward, Chonburi Cancer Hospital. Her current area of interest now focuses on palliative care and end-of-life care. For the next project she is planning to apply evidence-based practice to improve the quality of palliative care for cancer patients.