The standard of psychological support and escort as perceived by oncogynecological patients

Overview

Objective:
to pinpoint the shortcomings in support and escort by medical personnel to patients during the diagnostics, surgery and treatment of oncogynecological disease

Classification of the study:
a retrospective questionnaire study

Setting:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty of the Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Methodology:
150 questionnaires constructed by us were sent to women who underwent surgery for malignant uterine or ovarian tumours at our Department in the years 1998 to 2000. The questions dealt with the way of announcement of diagnosis and the support and help from medical personnel and family in the time of diagnosis, then during the treatment and again after returning home.

Results:
from 150 questionnaires sent out 92 returned properly filled. The study group was characterized according to age, achieved education, family status. The analysis revealed the most important areas of decreased quality of life. The analysis also showed how the perception of support and escort from medical personal, family, friends changes in the three time periods of the treatment.

Conclusion:
the study documents that the perception of psychological support and escort develops and changes during the course of the treatment and should be given accordingly to the actual needs

Key words:
announcement of an unfavourable diagnosis, malignant tumours of female reproductive organs, quality of life