Published in:
01-02-2019 | Original Article
Knowledge, fatigue, and cognitive factors as predictors of lymphoedema risk-reduction behaviours in women with cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 2/2019
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Objective
To identify social–cognitive factors predicting lymphoedema risk-reduction behaviours (hereafter, self-care) after discharge among patients in Japan with breast or gynaecological cancers, using the extended model of the theory of planned behaviour.
Methods
A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in an oncology hospital. Items measured were (1) knowledge about self-care; (2) the Cancer Fatigue Scale; (3) social–cognitive factors in the theory of planned behaviour (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control); (4) self-care (limb hygiene, observation, articular movement, recommended risk-reduction behaviours in daily life, and diet and weight control); and (5) demographics. Of 202 respondents, 147 who had not been diagnosed with lymphoedema were eligible for statistical analysis (65.3% with gynaecological cancer, 34.7% with breast cancer).
Results
Structural equation modelling was used to examine a hypothesised model based on the theory of planned behaviour. The results revealed that a longer time since surgery, higher levels of fatigue, less knowledge, higher expected efficacy of self-care, and lower perceived behavioural control directly and significantly predicted less self-care behaviour.
Conclusions
Besides education about self-care behaviour, levels of fatigue and perceived behavioural control should be taken into account to encourage female patients with cancer to perform self-care after discharge. Continuous psycho-educational programmes after discharge may help to facilitate self-care behaviours among long-term female cancer survivors.