Abstract

INTRODUCTION

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of providing information about the diagnosis, treatment process and chemotherapy to adolescent pediatric oncology patients and their parents on the anxiety levels of them.

METHODS

Between 2015 and 2016; fifty-five children aged between 14 and 18 years and their parents (n=55; age: 30-50 years) were included in the study. Children who were planned to receive chemotherapy and their parents were informed about the disease and treatment. STAI-II (continuity anxiety) scale was used to measure the general anxiety levels in pre-disease routine life. STAI-I (state anxiety) was used to measure the state of situational anxiety before and after information about the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The effect of informing on anxiety levels was investigated.

RESULTS

The median of continuity anxiety levels evaluated with STAI-II scale in the routine life before the onset of the disease symptoms was 38 points (25-67) in patients and 45 points (26-65) in their parents (p <0.001). The mean STAI-I median scores were 38 (23-73) in patients and 48 (28-65) in parents (p: 0.001). After the informative interview the median of the STAI-I scores was 38 points (26-67) in the patients and 42 points in the parents (23-68) (p: 0,067). While the anxiety levels of the children before and after the informations did not change (p = 0.679), a statistically significant decrease was observed in the anxiety levels of the parents (p = 0.01).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The general anxiety levels of the parents who participated in our study were mild to moderate in their routine lives and they were found to be more anxious than their children. When we look at the state-related anxiety levels in the period from the onset of disease symptoms to the informative interview, it was observed that parents were more anxious than children. Informing decreased the anxiety levels of the parents and had no effect on the anxiety levels of the children.