PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF CANCER

Psychosocial Impacts of Cancer

Psychosocial Impacts of Cancer

Introduction

Depression in cancer patients is an ongoing problem worldwide, regardless of socioeconomic level, race or culture. But medicine has placed great emphasis on the somatic treatment of the disease, and little in the co-morbidity of cancer and depression. The paper aims to investigate the psychosocial impact on cancer patient. The paper will evaluate and critically analyze how the cancer patient suffers from psychosocial issue. There are many emotional breakdowns in cancer patient, however, psychosocial issue is important to identify (Traeger, 2010, p 393-403).

Cancer is one disease that demands immediate attention and must be reported to the specialist as soon as possible. Along with all the other affects that come along with cancer, in the life of an effected patient. Cancer very shoddily affects the psychosocial part of the life of a human. Psychosocial means the development of humans psychological and interaction quality within the social environment (Chochinov, 499-505). It is the job of every individual living in the society that they remain fully aware about the happenings that are taking place in the society, and maintain an excellent relationship within the environment of the society. If the psychosocial part, of a humans life is affected. It affects the mood of the person, along with a massive increase in the stress level, and precise other depressive mechanisms. All of this affects the social and personal life of a person (Chochinov, 499-505).

Identification of Depression

The psychosocial issue that has been identified for the discussion is Depression. According to Cella (2012) almost every cancer patient suffer from the psychosocial issue and one of the most common issue is depression in the cancer patient. Depression is the factor that is important coping with because it may be a barrier in the treatment of cancer. Depression has been the most common factor in the cancer patients and researchers has been indulged for years to find the solution.

According to Leader, Darian (2008), while the medical field has traditionally focused on the physiological treatment of organic disease, a more recent approach has integrated psychological aspects of health with physiology. The application of behavioral and cognitive factors to medicine has resulted in the establishment of two new health related fields. These fields are Behavioral Medicine and Health Psychology (Li M, 2012, p.1151-1153).

Psychosocial Depression in Cancer Patients

According to Stoppard, Janet M., ed. (2003), depression has affected almost about fifteen percent of the general population of the world, and the number rises to almost twenty percent among the people suffering from cancer. It is very difficult to detect depression among the cancer patients due to the issues of complexity and the constraints regarding the cancer care of the patients and their family (Li M, 2012, p.1151-1153). Another constraint is the birth of another disease and liabilities that take place inside the mind of a cancer patient. The existing methodologies that are used for the detection of depression among patients are very ...