Association between resilience and quality of life in oncological patients treated with chemotherapy in a health institution

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life. In addition to social and economic impacts, patients face considerable emotional stress. Resilience, defined as the ability to adapt and overcome adversity, can mitigate these negative effects. Objective: To determine the relationship between resilience and quality of life in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methodology: Quantitative, descriptive, correlational, non-experimental, descriptive study. The CD-RISC Resilience Scale was used to measure resilience and the QLQ-C30 questionnaire for quality of life. Result: Out of 60 patients, 63,33% were over 50 years old and 53,33% were female. Forty percent had completed secondary education, and 25% had colorectal cancer. Sixty percent received biological chemotherapy. The study found that 35% had high resilience, 50% medium, and 26,7% reported good quality of life. Forty percent reported regular quality of life and 33,3% poor. Discussion: The moderate and significant positive correlation (Rh = 0,547, p = 0,000) between resilience and quality of life suggests that higher resilience is associated with better adaptation and quality of life perception despite chemotherapy challenges. Conclusion: Resilience positively impacts the quality of life in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy, highlighting the importance of fostering resilience to improve patient well-being.