Assessment on Perception of Stressors among the Hospitalized Patients.

P. Yasodha and Ms. S. Veeralakshmi

College of Nursing, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore - 641044

E-mail: yasodhagopi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

Stress is a part of life everyone feels stress at one time or another. The descriptive study was conducted to find out the perception of stress among hospitalized patients. Convenient sample of 100 hospitalized patients comprising of age group ranged from 15-90 years were involved and level of stress among the hospitalized patients were assessed by using stress inventory general questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was used for data analysis and the results found that 47% of the patients experienced stress due to lack of information regarding hospital. 29% of the patients are experienced stress due to isolation from family members. 24% of the patients are experienced stress due to low socio-economic status. The study recommends that, in the hospital set up social health workers like nurses should help the patients to alleviate the stress. In the same way the patients are also should make use of those health worker and health team members to clarify the doubts regarding their condition or anything which will remove the stress and help for their prognosis.

KEY WORDS: Stress, patient, hospitalized stress

INTRODUCTION:

Stress results from a change in the environment that is perceived as a challenge, a threat or a changer and can have both positive and negative effects. Stress affects the whole person in all the human dimensions physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual. The perception of stress and to responds to it is highly individualized not only from person to person. In addition, each person's perception of a responses to stress are structured by his or her culture, family, genetic inheritance and life experiences (Carol Taylor et al., 2008). Hospital is a stressful place, where patients experience physical and psychological discomfort. Due to the environment characteristics, characterized by a large amount of equipment, professionals and procedures that interrupted to circadian cycle hindering the patients sleep and welfare. (Lustis and Lushaa, 2005).

Choi OS (2007) investigated about causes and degrees of stress events experienced by hospitalized patients, with the aim to instituting improvement of nursing care program based on the needs of patients.

The results found that, patients perceived stress due to various factors, among them the commonest causes are, disease related - 97.14%, hospital event -90%, living with hospital regulations 23.33, limitation of freedom -70.9%, worry for wrong treatment-50%, Communication and human relations -75.86%. No explanation about Nursing care procedures 71.66%, economic Problem 80%.

A Descriptive - comparative study was carried out to explore selected aspects of labour stress and specifically study the relationship between environmental factors and pain perception among parturient women. In this study, 300 primiparous and 300 multiparous women who were candidates for vaginal delivery, were randomly selected and interviewed. The data were collected by a questionnaire and the intensity of pain was determined by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Result of significant positive correlations were found between pain and tension from environmental factors in primiparous women believed that a crowded delivery room (70%) and restriction of movement and mobility contributed to their environmental stressor. Multiparous women believed that noise in the delivery was (84%) and restrict of fluid intake (78%) increased their stresses. (Borell E, et al., 2007)

A study was conducted on relationship between hospital stress and patient reports of pain and physical status. Total of 535 medical and surgical patients were selected in a community hospital. Patient were also asked to rate the pain they experienced on a pain scale, a recovery inventory was used to score patient. Self report of their physical status, both during hospitalization and subsequent to discharge. With statistical control for patient characteristics correlated with self reports of pain and physical status association between hospital stress and these variables were observed. Patient scoring high in hospital stress tended to report more pain, lower physical status during hospitalization and less improvement after discharge than patient scoring low in hospital stress. (Volicer BJ, 2006)

OBJECTIVES

· To identify the perceived stressors of hospitalized patients.

HYPOTHESIS

H1: Hospitalized patients will perceive more stress.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

RESEARCH DESIGN

Descriptive design was adopted for the study to fulfill the objective of assessing the perceived stressors of hospitalized patients.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE AND SAMPLE SIZE

Convenient sampling technique was used and a total of 100 hospitalized patients were selected as participants.

DESCRIPTION OF TOOL

PART 1: Demographic variables consist of age, sex, religion, educational status, occupation, type of family, monthly income, age at marriage, date of admission and diagnosis.

PART 2: Stress inventory general questionnaire consists of general questions regarding stressors information about the hospital, neighbors’ are unfamiliar, unfamiliarity of place, sleeplessness and food pattern, Loss of self rights, isolation from families, economic demand, isolation from others, lack of information, fear about health status and effects of medication.

DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE:

The purpose of the study was explained to patients and oral consent was obtained. Self administered questionnaire was administered; there was no time limit to complete the questionnaire.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

In this study among 100 participants, 97% of patients are at the age group of 36-90 years, 57% were males and 43% were female. 85% of patients are hospitalized for 3-6 days and 12% of patients are hospitalized for 7-10 days, 3% of patients are hospitalized for 11-14 days.

Among the 100 hospitalized patients 47% of the patients experienced mils stress due to lack of information regarding hospital. 29% of the people are experienced moderate stress due to isolation from family members. 24% of the patients are experienced severe stress due to low socio economic status and 43% of the patients are not experienced any stress due to unfamiliarity of the surroundings.

REFERENCES:

1. Carol Taylol, Carol Lillis, Priscilla LeMore, Pamele Lynn. Fundamentals of Nursing: the art and science of nursing care.(2008) Philadelphia, PA, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

2. Volicer BJ, 1973 “Perceived stress level of events associated with the experience of hospitalization” Nursing Research 491-497.

3. Ballard KS, 1981 “Identification of environmental stressors for patients in a surgical care unit” Issues Mental Health Nursing 89-108.

4. Cocharan J 1989 A comparison of nurses and patients perception of stressors in hospital and ICU. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1038-1043.

5. Foxall MJ 1990 A comparison of frequency and sources of hospice and medical surgical, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 597-599

Received on 10.06.2012 Modified on 20.07.2012

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 2(3): July-Sept. 2012; Page 99-100