Socio-demographics associated with stress and anxiety level among patients diagnosed with proliferative disease of the haematopoietic system.

OBJECTIVES

The most common psychiatric disorders in cancer patients are anxiety disorders. These arise from negative experiences and personal traumas of the patient, the fear of developing cancer, the fear of death, and anxiety about painful examinations and procedures. This article aims to determine the occurrence and intensity of stress and anxiety in patients diagnosed with proliferative disease of the haematopoietic system and their sociodemographic correlates.

METHODS

The study involved 100 patients diagnosed with proliferative disease of the haematopoietic system (acute leukaemia, chronic leukaemia, lymphoma, plasma cell myeloma, erythraemia). Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a questionnaire on sociodemographic variables and disease characteristics. Differences between patient results and tool validation group results were examined using one-sample Student's t-tests. Relationships between variables were determined using Spearman's rho and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

Patients with proliferative disease of the haematopoietic system exhibit higher levels of stress compared to the general population. Sociodemographic variables, such as marital status and occupational situations, had significant implications for stress intensity. The participants showed a moderate level of state anxiety and a lower inclination to react with fear compared to the tool normalisation group. As in the case of stress, the presence of loved ones, occupational situations and age significantly influenced the intensity of anxiety. The higher the stress among the participants, the higher their experienced anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Coping with cancer, i.e. fighting the disease, involves the search for emotional and instrumental support by affected individuals. Supportive environmental conditions such as stable family and professional situations are crucial for the psychological well-being of the participants.