Professional paper
Psychological Status and Coping with Illness in Patients with Malignant Melanoma
Maja Vurnek
Marija Buljan
Mirna Šitum
Abstract
Melanoma patients are subject to different degrees of psychosocial distress. The emotional impact of malignant melanoma
can be long lasting and profound, with the most common reactions to melanoma being depression, anxiety and deterioration
in quality of life. Coping styles have been shown to have a significant influence on patients' quality of life and
their emotional reaction to the illness. The aim of this paper was to investigate the quality of life, emotional status and
coping styles in patients with melanoma. 31 patients suffering from malignant melanoma were included in the study.
Results of this study show that melanoma has a medium influence on patients’ psychological status and quality of life.
The most »constructive« coping style – problem focused coping is the mostly used style by the patients, which might be one
of the reasons why the illness didn’t have a more severe influence on patients’ psychological status.
Keywords
malignant melanoma; emotional reaction; depression; quality of life; coping styles
Hrčak ID:
27423
URI
Publication date:
16.1.2007.
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