The correlation between coping strategies, doctor-patient/spouse relationships and psychological distress among women cancer patients and their spouses.
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.
Gilbar
Ora
O
School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. ogilbar@research.haifa.ac.il
Zusman
Alla
A
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*