ความรอบรู้ด้านสุขภาพจิตและความทุกข์ทางใจในผู้ที่เป็นโรคมะเร็งระยะลุกลาม

Abstract

Patients with advanced cancer must to face mental distress, which cannot be avoided both suffering from pain, side effects from treatment, loss of being a healthy person adjusting to work, living, and increasing expenses as a result, pressure and high levels of stress such mental suffering inevitably results in mental health problems. If not screened for severity level and psychological care and assistance including preventing this problem effectively that could lead to suicide and can cause psychiatric comorbidities. This correlational descriptive study aimed to investigate the association between mental health literacy and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer. The sample was 106 patients with advanced cancer residing in the area under the responsibility of Health Promoting Hospital of northeast in Thailand. Two research instruments were used for data collection: the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and the Mental Health Literacy Assessment. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. The results found that: 1. Persons with advanced cancer had a high level of mental health literacy at 76.40 percent, a moderate level at 22.60 percent, and a low level or need for improvement at only 0.90 percent. 2. Regarding psychological distress with advanced cancer, 37.70 percent had an abnormal to moderate degree, 32.10 percent had an abnormal to mild degree, 23.60 percent had an abnormal to normal degree, and 6.60 percent had an abnormal to severe degree. 3. The components of mental health literacy had a moderate and high-level negative with psychological distress among persons with advanced cancer, and the significant of .01 (r =-.630, r = -.882, and r = -.881). 4. Mental health literacy had a moderate-level negative correlation with psychological distress among persons with advanced cancer with significance of .01 (r = -.626). The results of this research can be used as fundamental information for healthcare professionals to develop mental health literacy and care management for psychological distress in persons with advanced cancer.