The relationship between meaning of illness, anxiety, depression, and quality of life for cancer patients

The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the relationship between meaning of illness, anxiety, depression, and quality of life of patients receiving chemotherapy. Inclusion of the study consists of 110 patients with cancer who applied to the inpatient unit of a medical oncology clinic from 01 December 2005 to 31 May 2006 to receive inpatient chemotherapy. The research sampling comprises of 110 patients who were hospitalized at the medical oncology clinic of the university hospital and who received chemotherapy for at least 6 months. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), Meaning of Illness Questionnaire (MIQ) and Quality of Life Scale were utilized to collect data. The results of the correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between meaning ofillness, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (p < 0.01). Positive meaning of the illness increases the quality of life score average and reduces anxiety and depression. The results indicated that meaning of illness affects anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Nurses should offer op- portunities for patients to search the positive meaning in the cancer illness.