The Anxiety Level of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy at Universitas Andalas Hospital
Abstract
Background: Radiotherapy is one of the most commonly used treatments for cancer. Radiotherapy works by using high-energy particles or waves, such as X-rays, gamma rays, electron beams, or protons, to destroy or damage cancer cells. Anxiety is an emotional response that arises when a person experiences stress. Patients diagnosed with cancer will experience anxiety, and the anxiety increases in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Anxiety in radiotherapy generally occurs due to a lack of information, side effects of treatment, and radiation procedures. This study aims to determine the description of the anxiety level of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Universitas Andalas Hospital.
Method: This study is a quantitative descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach that examines the description of the anxiety level of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Universitas Andalas Hospital. Anxiety levels were measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire.
Results: The sample in this study was 62 cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. The results of the study were obtained in the A-State section, 64.5% experienced mild anxiety, 27.4% experienced moderate anxiety, and 8.1% experienced severe anxiety. The results of the A-Trait section 53.2% experienced mild anxiety, 43.6% experienced moderate anxiety, and 3.2% experienced severe anxiety. The trait section of anxiety tends to be more severe than the state section.
Conclusion: The anxiety level of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Andalas University Hospital, A-State, and A-Trait is mostly at a mild level. The results of the study can be used as a source of information to consider a psychological approach to patient treatment. However, further researchers can analyze the relationship between variables that influence the level of anxiety
Keywords
DOI: 10.33371/ijoc.v19i2.1247
Article Metrics
Abstract View: 530, 
PDF Download: 133
References
Gianfaldoni S, Gianfaldoni R, Wollina U, Lotti J, Tchernev G, Lotti T. An Overview on Radiotherapy: From Its History to Its Current Applications in Dermatology. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2017;5:521.
FitzGerald TJ, Bishop-Jodoin M, Laurie F, Riberdy C, Aronowitz JN, Bannon E, et al. Radiation Therapy. Cancer Prev Early Detect Treat Recover 2022:447–61.
Braeken APBM, Kempen GIJM, Eekers DBP, Houben RMA, van Gils FCJM, Ambergen T, et al. Psychosocial screening effects on health-related outcomes in patients receiving radiotherapy. A cluster randomised controlled trial. Psychooncology 2013;22:2736–46.
Antoni D, Vigneron C, Clavier JB, Guihard S, Velten M, Noel G. Anxiety during radiation therapy: A prospective randomized controlled trial evaluating a specific one‐on‐one procedure announcement provided by a radiation therapist. Cancers (Basel) 2021;13.
Lewis F, Merckaert I, Liénard A, Libert Y, Etienne AM, Reynaert C, et al. Anxiety and its time courses during radiotherapy for non-metastatic breast cancer: A longitudinal study. Radiother Oncol 2014;111:276–80.
Radojevic MZ, Folic M, Jankovic S. A Questionnaire for Assessing Fear of Radiotherapy in Oncology Patients. Serbian J Exp Clin Res 2018;19:57–63.
Sehlen S, Fahmüller H, Herschbach P, Aydemir U, Lenk M, Dühmke E. [Psychometric properties of the Stress Index RadioOncology (SIRO)--a new questionnaire measuring quality of life of cancer patients during radiotherapy]. Strahlentherapie und Onkol Organ der Dtsch Rontgengesellschaft . [et al] 2003;179:261–9.
Rahman A, Keperawatan FI, Sarjana PS. Faktor-faktor internal..., Arif Rahman, FIK UI, 2013 2013.
Ariani NKP, Lesmana CBJ, Pasaribu ILM, Pritiariesti NWP. Prevalence of anxiety in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Sanglah hospital in 2022. Int J Heal Med Sci 2022;5:370–6.
Goerling U, Hinz A, Koch-Gromus U, Hufeld JM, Esser P, Mehnert-Theuerkauf A. Prevalence and severity of anxiety in cancer patients: results from a multi-center cohort study in Germany. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023;149:6371–9.
RS Unand - RS Unand Launching Layanan Radioterapi n.d. http://rsp.unand.ac.id/artikel/rs-unand-launching-layanan-radioterapi (accessed November 3, 2023).
Neelam Sharma AP. Prevalence of anxiety and depression in cancer patients during radiotherapy A rural Indian perspective. J Cancer Res Ther 2020;17:219–23.
Sholikhah DU, Kurniawan VE, Fiddaroini FN. The The Relationship Of Nurse’s Effective Communication Patterns To Anxiety Level Among Carcinoma Patients Undergoing External Radiotherapy At Adi Husada Cancer Center Surabaya. J Keperawatan Dan Fisioter 2023;5:260–7.
Yang L, Yang J, He J, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Sun B, et al. Analysis of Anxiety and Depression Status in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy During the COVID-19 Epidemic. Front Psychiatry 2021;12:1–6.
Tan Y, Qin M, Liao B, Wang L, Chang G, Wei F, et al. Effectiveness of Peer Support on Quality of Life and Anxiety in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Breast Care 2023;18:49–59.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Email this article 
