Ambulatory cancer patients perception of the physical and psychosocial changes in their lives since the diagnosis of cancer

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Abstract
A questionnaire entitled “Health Survey” was developed for the purpose of discovering life-style changes due to cancer, as perceived by a group of ambulatory cancer patients. The questionnaire contained 18 items related to physical changes, 12 items related to psychosocial changes, and five items that dealt with relationships to health personnel. The “Health Survey” was distributed and collected over a 6-month period in oncology outpatient units throughout northern Illinois. A total of 340 questionnaires were returned; the data analysis reported here is based on 323 questionnaires returned before the arbitrary cut-off date. The researchers had anticipated that with the diagnosis of cancer, there would have been significant physical, psychological, and social changes in the cancer patient's life-style. Results of this study indicate that there were three physical parameters and no psychological or social parameters that the majority (greater than 50%) of ambulatory cancer patients indicated changed with the diagnosis of cancer. The physical parameters that the respondents indicated had changed were: 1) level of physical activity, 2) sleeping habits, and 3) weight. The results do not support the assumption that a diagnosis of cancer always produces broad changes in life-style. Instead, it appeared for this sample, that selected physical variables were altered with the diagnosis of the disease. In addition, the results indicate differences in the communication patterns of the respondents with their physicians and nurses, as well as their level of satisfaction with these interactions.

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