Association Between Family Support, Coping Strategies and Anxiety in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy at General Hospital in Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia

Sari, Dina Keumala; Dewi, Ratna; Daulay, Wardiah

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2019.20.10.3015

Association Between Family Support, Coping Strategies and Anxiety in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy at General Hospital in Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Nutrition Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia.

² Master of Nursing Program, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia.

³ Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia.

10.31557/APJCP.2019.20.10.3015

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to test the association between family support and coping strategies and anxiety at Dr.
Pirngadi General Hospital Medan. Methods: The study was a correlational descriptive study with a cross-sectional
approach. The samples were 102 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, who were selected through purposive
sampling technique. Data was collected using a family support questionnaire instrument developed based on the
concept of the House and Friedman theory, a coping strategy questionnaire modified from the Revised Ways of Coping
questionnaire by Folkman and Lazarus, and an anxiety questionnaire modified from the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
(HAM-A). Bivariate analysis was conducted using the Product Moment correlation coefficient to test the association
between family support, coping strategies, and anxiety. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the logistic regression
test to investigate dominant variables associated with coping strategies and anxiety. Results: The results of the bivariate
analysis showed a significant positive association (p=0.001) and strong correlation (r=0.612) between family support
and Problem Focused Coping (PFC) strategy, while there was a significant negative association (p=0.001) and moderate
correlation (r=-0.462) with the Emotion Focused Coping (EFC) strategy. A significant negative association (p=0.001)
and strong correlation (r=-0.646) was found between family support and anxiety. The multivariate analysis showed a
dominant association (p = 0.001) between family support with PFC strategy (OR = 12.2), EFC (OR = 0.142), and anxiety
(OR = 0.039). Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that there was an association between good family
support and effective coping strategies and lower anxiety levels in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. These
results can be an input for health services to increase family support for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in
combination with effective coping strategies to decrease anxiety levels.

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