Psycho-educational programs: Enhancing coping strategies and mitigating anxiety in chemotherapy patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to assess the impact of psycho-educational programs on enhancing coping strategies and mitigating anxiety in chemotherapy patients.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed using a non-randomised purposive sample of 225 patients receiving chemotherapy at the outpatient oncology clinic in Nasiriyah, Iraq. Data were collected using three tools: (I) an interviewing questionnaire for demographic and clinical data, (II) the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and (III) the Coping Strategies Adjustment to Cancer Patients Questionnaire (CSARQ).

Results: The study reveals that 85% of patients report high levels of anxiety pre-program, which improved to 70% reporting low levels post-program. Regarding coping strategies, 82% of participants reported increased use of proactive coping strategies post-program, while approximately two-thirds continued to use passive strategies. Overall, 70.7% demonstrated high levels of total coping following the program compared to 29.3% reporting lower levels (p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in total anxiety, coping strategies, and demographic characteristics pre- and post-intervention.

Conclusion: These findings highlight that psycho-educational programs incorporating coping strategies effectively reduce anxiety and enhance coping among chemotherapy patients. The development of standardised screening tools to assess the psychological status and mental well-being of all patients undergoing chemotherapy is strongly recommended.