Factors Affecting Self-Care Agency in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Receiving Outpatient Chemotherapy

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to identify the factors affecting self-care agency in patients with colorectal cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy. Methods: The participants were patients with colorectal cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy who participated in a web survey. The survey included: 1. self-care agency (Self-Care Agency Scale), and 2.1) general background; 2) physical factors; 3) mental health (WHO-5 Mental Health Status Table); 4) family relationships (Family Relationship Scale); and 5) spirituality (spirituality rating scale). Descriptive statistics were used as the analysis method, and the t/F test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to determine the influencing factors. This study was approved by the Ethics committee of the relevant facility (approval number 2,239). Results: The analysis included 277 participants, of whom 68.2% were male and 30.7% female. The mean±standard deviation for self-care agency scores was 46.7±12.39 points. Mental health, spirituality, type of employment and interaction with others with the same disease outside of the patient group were influential factors with an adjusted R-square(R²) value of 0.485. Conclusion: The results indicate that improving the self-care agency of patients with colorectal cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy requires the development of a systematic nursing model to provide nursing practice that accounts for influencing factors.