Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: January | Volume: 10 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 166-174
Psychological Effects of Chemotherapy Experienced by Patients Diagnosed With Breast and Cervical Cancer Attending Kenyatta National Hospital Cancer Treatment Centre
Anastacia Bosire1, Irene Mageto2, Samuel Kimani2
1School of Nursing sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
2Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Corresponding Author: Anastacia Bosire
ABSTRACT
Background: Breast and cervical cancers cause the highest cancer related morbidity and mortality among women globally. Chemotherapy is associated with psychological effects which affect patients’ adherence to treatment. In Kenya no study concentrated specifically on the psychological effects of chemotherapy on patients diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer.
Objective: To determine the psychological effects of chemotherapy among patients diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study which involved both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to explore on the psychological effects of chemotherapy. Quantitative data was collected from 157 systematically sampled participants. In addition two focus group discussions were held by purposively selected participants. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 while related narrative information from the focus group discussion was clustered together and then analyzed using content analysis. Permission to conduct the research was obtained from Kenyatta National Hospital/University of Nairobi Ethics and Research Committee (KNH/UON ERC).
Results: The highest percentages (31.2%) of participants were aged between 41-50 years. Most (66.9%) were married and depended on their husbands (45.9%) for social support. Only (22.9%) were in formal employment and majority (73.2%) earned below 20000kshs per month. Psychological effects experienced by the participants included; body image changes (65.6%), anxiety (79%), low self-esteem (63.1%), loneliness (55.4%) and sadness (51.6%). Further analysis showed that age, economic status and previous chemotherapy sessions had significant relationships with psychological effects.
Conclusion: cancer chemotherapy is associated with many psychological effects which are aggravated by increased chemotherapy sessions and low monthly income.
Key words: Chemotherapy, breast and cervical cancer, psychological effects.