Faith in God as a source for maintaining a sense of control in cancer in Polish sample

Abstract Introduction. Developing breast cancer affects the functioning of the patient at all stages of treatment. The sense of control over one’s health contributes to coping with stress, the sense of empowerment, and the doctor-patient relationship. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the sociopsychological and demographic factors that protect patients with breast cancer from losing the sense of control and those that foster such loss. Materials and methods. The research was conducted on 132 female patients of the oncology clinic in Poland at various stages of treatment. Three stages were distinguished: Women during chemotherapy (n = 41), patients of the physical therapy ward after the completion of oncological treatment (n = 40), and the group of “Amazons” (n = 50) who have experienced at least five years of remission after the end of treatment. The research was conducted with the use of demographic data, the Fatalist Loss of Control Scale, the Religious Problem Solving scale, and the scale of perceiving God. Results and conclusions. There was a negative correlation between the loss of control and the number of planned tasks (life projects) and the faith in the realisation of such projects. The results demonstrated that the sense of losing control increased along with the duration of the illness and decreased with faith in an active, powerful God. The results have been interpreted according to the compensation control theory. They demonstrate that the sense of control over one’s health is closely linked to the dynamics of the treatment process and the quality of life. The presented results may constitute a basis for developing support programmes based on a model of the sense of control over health, which may translate into an ability to better cope with the disease and into patients’ involvement in the treatment process.