Prostate cancer is a global health problem; its incidence is on the rise in Chinese and usually fraught with both physical and psychological symptomatology.
The aim of this study is to explore the relationships among demographic and disease characteristics, resourcefulness, depressive symptoms, and health related quality of life (HRQOL).
A descriptive, correlational design was used. A total of 200 individuals with prostate cancer were recruited. The participants completed a self-report regarding their depressive symptoms and HRQOL. Using a structural equation modeling approach, all relationships among the factors, mediators, depressive symptoms, and HRQOL were analyzed.
The more resourcefulness that participants perceived, the more likely they were to report better HRQOL. The best-fitted structural equation model included individual demographics and disease characteristics and resourcefulness as significant predictors of HRQOL. Moreover, this structural model explained 72%, 76%, and 57% of the variance in physical quality of life, mental quality of life, and depressive symptoms, respectively. In addition, resourcefulness had a positive mediating effect on increasing the physical and mental quality of life and decreasing the depressive symptoms for patients with prostate cancer.
Resourcefulness helps patients with prostate cancer build a positive attitude and that it is crucial for enhancing the HRQOL of patients. By using the proper resourcefulness strategy, that is, either personal (self-help) or social (help-seeking), nursing professionals can substantially contribute to enhancing the HRQOL for patients with PC.
Knowledge of risk factors for HRQOL would be useful for nursing professional in detecting health problems and treatment options.
Cancer nursing. 2016 Jul 20 [Epub ahead of print]
Chiung-Yu Huang, Ming-Jai Wang, Yu-Hua Lin, Chun-I Chen
Author Affiliations: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine (Drs Huang and Lin), and Department of Industrial Management, College of Management (Dr Chen), I-Shou University, Kaohsiung; and Department of Oncology (Ms Wang), Chi-Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Taiwan.