Daily stress in cancer survivors
Abstract
Introduction: The number of cancer survivors has dramatically increased in recent years. These people have specific healthcare needs, and feel vulnerable to any type of health problems. Contrary to what would be expected, when cancer treatment is finished an extremely stressful stage for survivors begins. Objectives: To describe the characteristics of daily distress during everyday situations considered stressful by cancer survivors. Methodology: Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, information about daily activities of cancer survivors was recorded at the end of the day. Sample: Sixty survivors of various types of cancer, who answered an online survey for a total of 15 consecutive days. Results: Survivors experienced a stressful event at 55,12% of the days recorded, and 45,41% of these days the event was related to the fact of being a survivor and generated higher levels of discomfort. Physical problem was the most frequent stressful event attributed to survival (87.60% of them). Conclusions: the physical problem related to the survival stage is clearly a stressful factor that does not seem to resolve itself over time. To a great extent, stressful events linked to the survival experience, give rise to more distress.
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