ABSTRACT

Background: Colorectal cancer is a deadly disease with varying degrees of prevalence in different parts of the world. Because of the need for improve the quality of life in cancer patients.

Aim: To determine the effect of physiotherapy on resilience and perceived stress in patients with colorectal cancer.

Method: This clinical trial study was performed using patients with colorectal cancer referred to the oncology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz in 2017. Patients were randomly allocated in two groups (43 people) of intervention and control. The intervention group underwent physiotherapy for 12 sessions of 30 minutes. Perceived stress and Connor and Davidson resilience questionnaire were used to collect data. Data analysis performed using SPSS software version 22. The significance level was considered to be 0.05.

Results: Resilience levels were higher but perceived stress levels were lower in intervention in compared with control group. After the intervention, there is a significant difference between the control group and the intervention. Resilience and perceived stress variables in the intervention group shows a significant difference before and after the intervention.

Conclusion: Physiotherapy affects individual and social abilities, social support, family cohesion, personality structure, resilience and perceived stress in patients with colorectal cancer.