HOPE AMONG THE PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER REFERRED TO HOSPITALS IN AHVAZ (SOUTH-WEST OF IRAN) IN 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate to investigate the hope among the patients with breast cancer referred to hospitals in Ahvaz (South-West of Iran). Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 118 women with breast cancer who referred to the health centers in Ahvaz. The sampling method was nonprobability and consecutive sampling method. Snyder's Hope Scale was used for data collection. Results: The mean and standard deviation of hope scores were 43.63 and 5.46 , respectively and more participants (i.e., 51.7%) enjoyed moderate level of hope. There were no significant relationships between age group, marital status, level of education, and economic status and hope scores. (P value > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the study indicate that most patients in the study had a moderate level of hope. Thanks to the importance of hope in proceeding the whole process of treatment and care, this concept should be taken into account in the provision of care and treatment of and psychological strategies for patients with breast cancer. Key Words: Breast cancer, Hope, Mental status, Iran