Effects of Meaning in Life and Social Support on Posttraumatic Growth in Pancreatic Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations among meaning in life, social support, and posttraumatic growth and to identify the factors related to posttraumatic growth in pancreatic cancer patients.Methods: A total of 118 pancreatic cancer patients who received care in an outpatient clinic and inpatient units in an oncology center in Seoul were enrolled from February 2021 to March 2021. We collected data using self-report survey tools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple linear regression with SPSS/WIN 26.0Results: Meaning in life, social support, and posttraumatic growth had significant positive correlations with each other, and the correlation between posttraumatic growth and meaning in life was the highest (r=.63, p<.01). In the hierarchical multiple regression model of posttraumatic growth (adjusted R2=.48, p<.001), marital status (β=-.14, p=.04), meaning in life (β=.44, p<.001), and social support (β=.27, p=.001) were statistically significant.Conclusion: There is a need for nursing interventions that provide social support and promote the meaning in life to facilitate posttraumatic growth in pancreatic cancer patients.