Self-concept of Digestive Tract Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

Self-concept is thoughts or beliefs about oneself, both physically, emotionally and socially. It is a major influence on a person’s expression and behavior. It is relatively fixed, however it can change based on the person’s experience. Being ill with gastrointestinal cancer is a vicious experience affecting on physical ability and appearance, self- and social perception. It will cause a change in self-concept.

The mixed method design, both qualitative and quantitative, was used for investigating the self-concept of person with digestive tract cancer and receiving chemotherapy in Male Surgical Ward of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Ten key informants was purposively recruited. The instruments used in this study were a guided interviews and the Tennessee Self-concept Scale. Data were analyzed by content analysis, mean and standard deviation.

Results showed that the key informants had a good level of self–concept scores including that of physical self, moral-ethical self, personal self, family self, social self, identity, and behavior, but a fairly good level in self-satisfaction and self-criticism score of self–concept. In addition, the informants thought about themselves in 4 themes; having ability to do daily routine as usual, having the value for their family and society, accepting what they are and beliefs in a better opportunity to recover from the illness. However, it should do research in a larger sample.