Abstract

GOMEZ GOMEZ, Margarita María  and  LAGOUEYTE GOMEZ, María Isabel. Social support: estrategy to cope with cervical cancer. av.enferm. [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.1, pp.32-41. ISSN 0121-4500.

The incidence of cervical cancer in Colombia is estimated to be at a rate of 21,5 new cases per every 100.000 women (1), above 20 years old, that cause discomfort, uneasiness and suffering that hinder their fully vital development. Purpose: understand social support as a coping strategy in women diagnosed with cervical cancer. Methodology: this qualitative study, conducted in the metropolitan area of Vale de Aburrá (Colombia), between August 2007 and May 2009, following the guidelines proposed by literature, fourteen women whose cervical cancer has been diagnosed and treated, were interviewed and attested through the institutions in charge of their treatment. Data analysis is performed manually, following the process to identify the conditions in which the interviewed women defined the coping strategies for their treatment. Results: social support, offered by health professionals, family, neighbors and friends emerges as an important coping strategy during the disease. Conclusions: Health professionals must furnish information - vital for the ills - using a very clear, concise language. It is also important to make sure that the patient and his/her family fully understand the message. Nursing professionals must provide humanized health care in attention to individual features. Including the family in care programs and involving them in the education given to the patient is one of the pillars of the strategies to cope with cervical cancer.

Keywords : social support; uterine cervical neoplasms; nursing care; education.

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