Body image and the level of stress in cervical cancer patients

Abstract

Introduction: Chemotherapy is one of the management applied to cervical cancer patients. Chemotherapy is beneficial to kill cancer cells, but it affects normal body cells, such as hair roots, skin, and changes in physical appearance. These physical changes result in poor self-assessment and stress. This study was conducted to describe the correlation between body image and stress level of cervical cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at the Gynecology Polyclinic, Dr. Kariadi General Hospital Medical Center Semarang. Methods: This type of research is quantitative using a correlational research design. The research process was carried out in 2020 at Dr. Kariadi General Hospital Medical Center Semarang with the number of samples obtained was 87 respondents. Results: It showed that there was a relationship between body image and stress levels in cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (r = -0.313 and p-value = 0.003). With a change in physical appearance, patients would feel something different which affects psychological situations and further causes stress. Conclusions: The level of stress has a significant correlation with the body image score of cervical cancer.