Coping strategies for family of women affected by breast cancer

Abstract

The illness of a family member causes changes in its dynamics, and when there is diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, it faces a series of stressors that affect the family unit. Thus, the family seeks the readaptation, developing coping strategies to deal with the situation. This study aimed to identify the coping strategies of 200 relatives of women affected by breast cancer. It is an exploratory, descriptive study with quantitative approach, developed in the Rehabilitation Program for Women mastectomy (Premmia) located in the St. Rita Outpatient Hospital in Vitoria - ES, from August to December 2007. The instrument used for data collection was the Coping Strategies Inventory of Lazarus and Folkman. Data analysis was performed using percentage calculations, average, mean and standard deviation. The results showed that coping strategies used by family members are mostly focused on the problem, and the least, on emotion, showing that family members are in search of balance. Nursing has an important role to understand and contextualize the experience of each patient and family and help them recognize strategies for alleviating stress and stressors.