The level of Anxiety in Cervical Cancer Patients of Lower Socioeconomic Status Receiving Chemoteraphy in RSUD Dr. Moewardi

Abstract

Chemotheraphy for cervical cancer can result in physical and psychological side effects. One of the physical effects is anxiety. This study aimed at identifying the level of anxiety in cervical cancer patients of lower socioeconomic status receiving chemotherapy. The anxiety assessment was based on the physical and psychological quetionnaire (HRS-A) with a guided interview with 40 patients of RSUD Dr. Moewardi. The data from the respondents were tabulated and analyzed using pivot table of Microsoft Ecxel. The result showed that 40% of the respondents had anxiety symtoms, 30% had a mid anxiety and 20% had a medium anxiety and 10% had a severe anxiety. Patients with a personal budget tend to have a higher anxiety compared with those who had a government health insurance (JAMKESMAS/Public Health Coverage Insurance). There had been several concerns among the patients including 1) the fear of side effect of chemotheraphy, 2) pessimism of the treatment outcome and the thought of death, 3) inconvenience of regular check for chemoteraphy to hospital and concern about the children and family. The level of anxiety varied among respondents. A lower socioeconic status, lower level of education and the local wisdom of ‘nrimo’ were responsible for the abcence or lower level of anxiety symptoms in some patients.

Keywords

• anxiety
• cervical cancer
• chemotherapy
• JAMKESMAS (Public Health Coverage Insurance)