JNCR
Journal of Nursing Care Research

The mission of the journal is to contribute to the development of nursing science and care practices in Turkey and internationally. It is also to promote and disseminate new knowledge and research data for evidence-based care practices at all levels of nursing services. The Journal of Nursing Care Research deals with Fundamentals of Nursing, Internal Medicine Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing, Child Health and Diseases Nursing, Mental Health and Diseases Nursing, Public Health Nursing and Management in Nursing and accepts articles on these topics.

eISSN: 3023-7270
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Original Article
Anxiety and hopelessness levels related to climate change in oncology patients
Abstract
Aims: Anxiety related to an uncertain and changing natural environment is defined as climate change anxiety. Oncology patients may experience the effects of climate change both directly and indirectly, which can negatively impact their mental well-being. According to Beck’s Cognitive Model, persistent exposure to stressors, such as climate change-related disruptions, may lead to negative automatic thoughts, reinforcing feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. This theoretical framework supports the exploration of the relationship between climate change anxiety and hopelessness. This study aimed to examine the relationship between climate change anxiety, conceptualized as a secondary stressor, and hopelessness among patients receiving oncology treatment, as well as to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with hopelessness.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 203 patients undergoing treatment in an oncology clinic. Patients' anxiety regarding climate change and hopelessness levels were assessed using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS). The study was reported in accordance with the STROBE checklist.
Results: Sixty-four percent of the participants were between the ages of 45 and 59, with the majority being women. Climate change anxiety and hopelessness levels were found to be moderate. According to the hierarchical regression analysis, the duration of cancer treatment were significant predictors of hopelessness. Additionally, when climate change anxiety was included in the model, the explanatory power increased . This finding suggests that higher climate anxiety is associated with an increase in hopelessness levels.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that when climate change anxiety is conceptualized as a secondary contextual stressor, it is associated with hopelessness in oncology patients; however, its relative impact remains limited compared to cancer-related factors. These results underscore the importance of considering broader environmental concerns as part of the psychological context influencing emotional well-being in clinical populations.

Keywords : Climate change, oncology patients, hopelessness level, climate anxiety

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Article available in :
Volume 3, Issue 3, 2026
Page : 98-106
https://doi.org/10.51271/JNCR-0056
Article Information
Received : 07 Nis 2026
Accepted : 01 Haz 2026
Published : 07 Tem 2026
Corresponding Author :

Duygu Akbaş Uysal: İzmir Konak Vocational School, İzmir, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Akbaş Uysal D, Öztürk Ş, Yıldırım Y, & Şenuzun Aykar F. (2026). Anxiety and hopelessness levels related to climate change in oncology patients. J Nurs Care Res, 3(3), 102-110. doi:10.51271/JNCR-0056

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