Coping Strategies of Oncology Patients Submitted to Mutilating Surgeries

Abstract

The stressful process, from a diagnostic suspicion of cancer up to the rehabilitation and psychological adjustment of a patient, requires efforts to cope with the situation. This article aims at identifying the coping strategies used by oncology patients submitted to mutilating surgeries. It is a prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study. Postoperative adults of gastrointestinal, gynecological and urologic mutilating oncology surgeries were included in this study. The data collected through a semi-structured interview was coded and jointed into categories for analysis. Between the coping strategies used by the interviewees, 53% were cognitive coping strategies, and thinking about the health problem was the most used strategy; 86% were emotional coping strategies being religion support the most used one. Both coping styles can occur simultaneously and be mutually facilitators. Identifying the coping strategies and their consequent implications at individual clinic evolution has fundamental importance for the individual design of nursing care.