Abstract

PEREZ CARDENAS, Clara. Psychological evaluation of the patient with cancer in PHC. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2005, vol.21, n.1-2. ISSN 0864-2125.

A descriptive study was undertaken in a group of oncological patients from a Basic Working Group of "Mario Escalona Reguera" Teaching Polyclinic, in Alamar. Some psychological variables were explored to identify the knowledge they have about their disease, their attitude towards daily life, the perception of their environment and of themselves, their evaluation of the social support they received, the presence of psychiatric symptoms, the recognition of conflicts previous to the disease, and the way they face life. The interview technique was used and valorative scales and psychometric tests were also applied. The results show that most of these patients do not know their disease, do not recognize changes in their attitude towards life, and describe themselves and the environment with positive elements. The family is the best evaluated element within the social support network, whereas the team of primary health care does not have enviable positions in this sense. Anxiety was found in all patients, and depression in most of them.There were no significant differences between those who recognize or not the presence of conflicts previous to the disease. The family losses were the most moving event lived in the last times before the diagnosis was made. In general, they refer to assume an active attitude aimed at improving their quality of life.

Keywords : Cancer; primary health care; psychology.

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