title: The correlation between coping strategies, doctor-patient/spouse relationships and psychological distress among women cancer patients and their spouses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the study were (1) to assess similarities and differences between women cancer patients and their spouses in terms of coping strategies, psychological distress and doctor-patient/spouse relationships; and (2) to investigate the impact of formal social support, namely the doctor-patient relationship and coping strategies, on patients' and spouses' psychological distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven women with cancer, and their spouses, completed questionnaires that measured distress (BSI), coping strategies (PF, EF) and doctor-patient relationships (Pat, Md).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient distress was greater than that of spouses. Patients used more strategies involving problem-focused coping than spouses. A positive relationship was found between patients and spouses in terms of psychological distress, paternalism and emotion-focused strategies. Emotion-focused strategies were found to impact patient psychological distress, as indicated in a hierarchical regression model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paternalism relationship model is an important factor in patient psychological distress but not in spousal psychological distress.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. ogilbar@research.haifa.ac.il
authors.forename: Ora
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gilbar
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zusman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*