Background
Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers among the Bangladeshi women. Coping helps these patients to adjust with this life-changing disease. Each individual has unique and different coping mechanism. But we know a little regarding their coping strategies. This study aims to explore the different coping strategies adopted by the women with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer attending the palliative care unit and their relationship with the common mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 patients with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer attending the Department of Palliative Medicine, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh from April 2021 to September 2021. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire adapted from Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS), Brief COPE inventory and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. Pearson correlation test was used to find the relationships between various domains of coping strategies and psychological variables. Correlation matrix was done to observe the internal correlation among different coping strategies. Kruskal-Wallis H test was done to find the relationship between different coping strategies and ECOG performance status.
Result
The mean age of the respondents was 48.9 ± 9.9 years. Most of them were married (94.7%), Muslim (92.6%) and homemakers (82.1%). Commonly used coping strategies by the patients were: acceptance (median 10; IQR 10), religion (median 9; IQR 8–10) and instrumental support (median 9; IQR 6–10). Significantly strong positive correlation was found between emotional and instrumental support (R = 0.7; p = 0.01), planning, acceptance and active coping (R = 0.7; p = 0.01); behavioral disengagement, self distraction and denial (R = 0.5; p = 0.01). Significantly fair negative correlation was observed between active coping and depression (R = -0.4, p <0.001). Patients with better performance status on ECOG scale (Grade 0–2) leaned more on the positive coping strategies like instrumental support, emotional support, positive reframing and venting.
Conclusion
Different coping strategies, especially positive coping helps the patients to adapt with their disease over time. All women suffering from breast cancer should be routinely screened and assessed for psychological distress and ensure early intervention and management to promote a better quality of life.
Caroli's disease (CD) is a rare congenital abnormality characterized by non-obstructive dilatation of intra hepatic bile ducts, which may be complicated by stone formation, recurrent cholangitis, biliary abscess and higher risk for biliary malignancy. We report a 37-year-old man with recurrent bouts of upper abdominal pain, high grade pyrexia, mild icterus with normal liver function tests who was diagnosed as a case of Caroli's disease. The laboratory studies confirmed Caroli' s disease with a SOL in liver suggestive of liver abscess and the patient received broad spectrum antibiotics with anaerobic and amoebicidal coverage. With 14 days course of antibiotics, he gradually recovered from his symptoms.
Abstract:A rare and a disease of unknown etiology, Churg-Strauss syrdrome (CSS) is a granulomatous necrotizing small vessel vasculitis characterizedby the presence of astlma, sinusitis, and hypereosinophilia, which is initially described by Churg
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