The Relation Between Personality Traits and Chemotherapy Symptoms of Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objective: This study is important as it is one of the first studies to evaluate the relationship between personality traits and symptoms. Methods: This study was planned as descriptive and cross-sectional. The study was conducted with 468 patients who were voluntary to participate in the study and applied to the chemotherapy unit in a private oncology hospital in Istanbul between January-June 2019. Data were obtained using the Patient Information Form, Chemotherapy Symptom Assessment Scale (C-SAS), and Big Five Inventory. Results: The data were evaluated on computer environment. The mean age of the patients was 59.46 +/- 11.78 years, 59.8% are female, 35.7% were secondary school graduate, and 36.5% were housewives.When the mean scores of the bigfive inventory were examined, it was found that the mean scores were 29.72 +/- 3.38 in Extraversion subscale, 28.31 +/- 5.62 in Agreeableness subscale, 27.14 +/- 4.44 in Conscientiousness subscale, 25.26 +/- 3.31 in Neuroticism subscale, and 28.31 +/- 5.62 in Openness subscale. One-unit increase in neuroticism was determined to increase posttreatment nausea by 1.14 times, diarrhea by 1.28 times, change in sexual life by 1.14 times, feeling pessimistic and sad by 1.071 times, and feeling anxious and distressed by 1.08 times. Conclusion: It was observed that the personality traits of cancer patients were correlated with the symptoms they experienced related to chemotherapy and the symptoms decreased with the increase of openness, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness characteristics and the symptoms increased with the increase of neuroticism characteristic.These results indicated that healthcare professionals should consider personnel characteristics of cancer patients while evaluating the symptoms they experienced and providing care.