Psychological mechanisms are often adopted by cancer patients to cope with the disease. This work aimed to describe the coping strategies adopted by cancer patients and to verify the psychometric properties of a Moroccan Arabic version of the Coping Strategies (AKU) questionnaire. A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with breast and cervical cancer. Data collection was based on a questionnaire containing elements of the AKU’s adaptation strategies. Internal reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and validity was verified using the multi-trait/multi-item correlation matrix. A total of 100 patients were enrolled in the study, with an average age of 53.8 years (SD 11.3 years). Different aspects of our patients’ social life have been affected, with family and conjugal life being the most affected. Family and friends were the main sources of moral and financial support. An amplification of spirituality and religious practices has been observed especially since the diagnosis of cancer. The highest score of the AKU questionnaire was noted for the dimensions related to trust in God’s help, medical help, and reappraisal of illness as a Chance. Internal consistency was found to be satisfactory for three dimensions, “Conscious and Healthy Living”, “Reappraisal Illness as a Chance” and “Perspectives and Positive Attitudes”. Good convergent and discriminant validity were noted for almost all dimensions. Our Moroccan version of the AKU questionnaire can therefore be used in the Moroccan socio-cultural context, to assess the coping strategies used to adjust to cancer in breast and cervical cancer patients in Morocco.
Cite this paper
Bendahhou, K. , Serhier, Z. , Diouny, S. , Tawfiq, N. , Yaacoubi, K. , Othmani, M. B. and Benider, A. (2023). Psychological and Spiritual Experiences of Breast and Cervical Cancer Patients. Open Access Library Journal, 10, e086. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110086.
Ferlay, J., Colombet, M., Soerjomataram, I., Parkin, D.M., Piñeros, M., Znaor, A. and Bray, F. (2021) Cancer Statistics for the Year 2020: An Overview. International Journal of Cancer, 149, 778-789. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.33588
Delvaux, N. (2006) L’expérience du cancer pour les familles. Cahiers Critiques de Thérapie Familiale et de Pratiques de Réseaux, No. 36, 81-101.
https://doi.org/10.3917/ctf.036.101
Leake, R.L., Gurrin, L.C. and Hammond, I.G. (2001) Quality of Life in Patients Attending a Low-Risk Gynaecological Oncology Follow-up Clinic. Psycho-Oncology, 10, 428-435. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.539
Ripamonti, C.I., Giuntoli, F., Gonella, S. and Miccinesi, G. (2018) Spiritual Care in Cancer Patients: A Need or an Option? Current Opinion in Oncology, 30, 212-218.
https://doi.org/10.1097/CCO.0000000000000454
Perdrizet-Chevallier, C., Reich, M. and Lesur, A. (2008) Dépression et anxiété chez les femmes souffrant de cancers gynécologiques. Annales Médico-Psychologiques, Revue Psychiatrique, 166, 292-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amp.2008.03.007
Halstead, M.T. and Hull, M. (2001) Struggling with Paradoxes: The Process of Spiritual Development in Women with Cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 28, 1534-1544.
Mehnert, A. and Koch, U. (2008) Psychological Comorbidity and Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Association with Awareness, Utilization, and Need for Psychosocial Support in a Cancer Register-Based Sample of Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64, 383-391.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.12.005
Ramirez, A.J., Pinder, K.L., Black, M.E., Richards, M.A., Gregory, W.M. and Rubens, R.D. (1993) Psychiatric Disorder in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer: Prevalence and Associated Factors. European Journal of Cancer, 29, 524-527.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-8049(05)80144-3
Christensen, S., Zachariae, R., Jensen, A.B., Vaeth, M., Møller, S., Ravnsbaek, J. and von der Maase, H. (2009) Prevalence and Risk of Depressive Symptoms 3-4 Months Post-Surgery in a Nationwide Cohort Study of Danish Women Treated for Early Stage Breast-Cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 113, 339-355.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-008-9920-9
Hannoun-Levi, J.M. (2005) Traitement du cancer du sein et de l’utérus: Impact physiologique et psychologique sur la fonction sexuelle. Cancer/Radiothérapie, 9, 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canrad.2004.11.005
Bloom, J.R. and Kessler, L. (1994) Emotional Support Following Cancer: A Test of the Stigma and Social Activity Hypotheses. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 35, 118-133. https://doi.org/10.2307/2137360
Balboni, T.A., Vanderwerker, L.C., Block, S.D., Paulk, M.E., Lathan, C.S., Peteet, J.R. and Prigerson, H.G. (2007) Religiousness and Spiritual Support among Advanced Cancer Patients and Associations with End-of-Life Treatment Preferences and Quality of Life. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 25, 555-560.
https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2006.07.9046
Baitar, A., Buntinx, F., De Burghgraeve, T., Deckx, L., Schrijvers, D., Wildiers, H. and van den Akker, M. (2018) The Influence of Coping Strategies on Subsequent Well-Being in Older Patients with Cancer: A Comparison with 2 Control Groups. Psycho-Oncology, 27, 864-870. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4587
Thuné-Boyle, I.C., Stygall, J.A., Keshtgar, M.R. and Newman, S.P. (2006) Do Religious/Spiritual Coping Strategies Affect Illness Adjustment in Patients with Cancer? A Systematic Review of the Literature. Social Science & Medicine, 63, 151-164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.11.055
Visser, A., Garssen, B. and Vingerhoets, A. (2010) Spirituality and Well-Being in Cancer Patients: A Review. Psycho-Oncology, 19, 565-572.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1626
Errihani, H., Mrabti, H., Sbitti, Y., et al. (2010) Impact psychosocial et religieux du diagnostic de cancer chez les patients marocains: Expérience de l’Institut national d’oncologie de Rabat. Bulletin du Cancer, 97, 461-468.
https://doi.org/10.1684/bdc.2010.1082
Büssing, A., Ostermann, T. and Matthiessen, P.F. (2008) Wer kontrolliert die Gesundheit? Adaptive Krankheitsverarbeitungsstile bei Patienten mit chronischen Erkrankungen. Deutsche Zeitschrift für Onkologie, 40, 150-156.
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0028-1082647
Büssing, A., Balzat, H.-J. and Heusser, P. (2010) Spiritual Needs of Patients with Chronic Pain Diseases and Cancer—Validation of the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire. European Journal of Medical Research, 15, 266-273.
https://doi.org/10.1186/2047-783X-15-6-266
Moley-Massol, I. (2007) Le médecin, le malade et les proches.
https://www.eyrolles.com/Loisirs/Livre/le-malade-la-maladie-et-les-proches-9782809801415/
Manning-Walsh, J. (2005) Social Support as a Mediator between Symptom Distress and Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 34, 482-493. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884217505278310
Dapueto, J.J., Francolino, C., Servente, L., Chang, C.-H., Gotta, I., Levin, R. and del Carmen Abreu, M. (2003) Evaluation of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) Spanish Version 4 in South America: Classic Psychometric and Item Response Theory Analyses. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 1, Article No. 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-1-32
Fernandes, W.C. and Kimura, M. (2010) Health Related Quality of Life of Women with Cervical Cancer. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 18, 360-367.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692010000300010
Pfaendler, K.S., Wenzel, L., Mechanic, M.B. and Penner, K.R. (2015) Cervical Cancer Survivorship: Long-Term Quality of Life and Social Support. Clinical Therapeutics, 37, 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2014.11.013
Vanlerenberghe, E., Sedda, A.-L. and Ait-Kaci, F. (2015) Cancers de la femme, sexualité et approche du couple. Bulletin du Cancer, 102, 454-462.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bulcan.2015.02.008
Dauchy, S., Boinon, D. and Colombat, P. (2006) Mobiliser et soutenir les proches tout au long de la maladie. Revue Francophone de Psycho-Oncologie, 5, 215-220.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10332-006-0161-z
Johnson, K.S., Tulsky, J.A., Hays, J.C., Arnold, R.M., Olsen, M.K., Lindquist, J.H. and Steinhauser, K.E. (2011) Which Domains of Spirituality Are Associated with Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Advanced Illness? Journal of General Internal Medicine, 26, 751-758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-011-1656-2
Büssing, A., Ostermann, T. and Matthiessen, P.F. (2007) Adaptive Coping and Spirituality as a Resource in Cancer Patients. Breast Care, 2, 195-202.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000104172
