Abstract

Objectives: The present study was designed to determine the sources of inspiration and the variables related to the level of hope among cancer patients in Omid Hospital, city of Mash-had in 1999.

Method: This analytic-descriptive assessment was carried out on 100 cancer patients from chemotherapy and radiotherapy wards as well as the clinic of Omid Hospital who were willing and able to take part in the study. The match-pairs method was utilized to sample two groups, one currently under treatment and the other already having completed a full treatment course. The data were collected by a demographic questionnaire, the Herth Hope Index, semi-structured interview, and an open-ended question. The data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings: Patients considered God, family, interaction and communication with the phy-sicians and nurses, lack of physical ailments, and material supplies as the sources of in-spiration. The finding also indicated that variables such as completion of a full treatment course, social support, and religious beliefs have significant effects on the level of hope.

Results: Reinforcing religious beliefs, social support, financial securety, as well as signifying the significance of hope for the patients, and promoting communication and appropriate interac-tion of the physicians and nurses with the patients could enhance the level of hope among cancer patients.