The effect of depression, anxiety and stress levels on the quality of life and self-care agency of patients with gynecological cancer: cross-sectional study

This study aimed to examine the effects of depression, anxiety and stress levels on quality of life and self-care agency of patients with gynecological cancer. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 182 gynecological cancer patients who applied to the Gynecology and Pediatrics Clinic and the Gynecology and Pediatrics Service of Marmara University Pendik Training and Research. Research data were obtained using Personal Information Form, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), Quality of Life Index Cancer Adaptation-III (QOL-CV) and Self-Care Agency Scale (SCAS). A statistically significant and negative correlation was found between the patients’ self-care agency and the levels of stress (r=-.446), anxiety (r=-.491) and depression (r=-.549) (p<.001). A statistically significant and negative correlation was found between the level of quality of life and the levels of stress (r=-.529), anxiety (r=-.451) and depression (r=-.597) (p<.001). A multiple linear regression model was applied with the stepwise method to determine the independent variables affecting the patients’ depression, anxiety, stress, self-care agency and quality of life levels, and it was found that the independent variables in the model explained 62.2%, 22.7%, 20.4%, 53.6% and 73.7% of the total change in the dependent variable, respectively. The depression, anxiety and stress levels of gynecological cancer patients increase, their quality of life and self-care ability decrease. It is recommended that women’s health and diseases nurses assess depression, anxiety and stress, quality of life and self-care ability during the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up processes of gynecological cancer patients and plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care processes accordingly.