title: The relationship between the social support level perceived by patients with gynecologic cancer and mental adjustment to cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between the level of the social support perceived by patients with gynecologic cancer and their mental adjustment to cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present descriptive study enrolled women with gynecologic cancer receiving care in the Diyarbakir province of Turkey between November 2013 and October 2014. Data were obtained via the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support questionnaire and the scale of Mental Adjustment to Cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 190 women with gynecologic cancer, all subscales of perceived social support had a positive correlation with the subscale fighting spirit (r=0.34-0.56; P<0.001 for all), and a negative correlation with the subscales of helplessness/hopelessness (r=-0.25 to -0.48; P<0.001 for all) and fatalism (r=-0.20 to -0.30; P<0.01 for all) in the Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients with gynecologic cancer, the response styles to cancer were considerably affected by the perceived level of social support. Raising the awareness of society and healthcare professionals will increase the level and quality of social support provided for patients with gynecologic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences,Inönü University,Malatya,Turkey. Electronic address: yurdagul.yagmur@inonu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Yurdagül
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yağmur
authors.affiliation: Diyarbakır Atatürk Health School,Dicle University,Diyarbakir,Turkey.
authors.forename: Mesude
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gynecologic cancer; Mental adjustment to cancer; Social support