TY - JOUR
T1 - Delay in seeking medical evaluations and predictors of self-efficacy among women with newly diagnosed breast cancer
T2 - A longitudinal study
AU - Chang, Hsiu Ju
AU - Chen, Wen Xiang
AU - Lin, Esther Ching Lan
AU - Tung, Yuk Ying
AU - Fetzer, Susan
AU - Lin, Mei Feng
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge funding support from the National Science Council, Taiwan, R.O.C. (NSC96-2413-H006-008-MY2) and assistance from participants and the breast cancer care team of National Cheng Kung University Hospital in Taiwan.
Funding Information:
Funding was supported from the National Science Council, Taiwan, R.O.C. ( NSC96-2413-H006-008-MY2 ).
PY - 2014/7
Y1 - 2014/7
N2 - Background: Delaying a diagnosis of breast cancer directly and positively impacts survival. Self-efficacy has been shown to be a causal mechanism in a wide range of health behaviors, a measurable trait that predicts behavior across domains, which is strong associated with psychological variables. However, factors predicting self-efficacy of women with suspected breast cancer who delayed or did not delay seeking a breast cancer diagnosis over time have not been identified. Objectives: To examine the differences between women who delay and women who did not delay seeking a cancer diagnosis, and key factors predicting self-efficacy over time among women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer. Design: Descriptive, longitudinal design over 2 months following breast cancer diagnostic evaluation. Setting: A medical center is located in southern Taiwan. Participants: Eighty women with suspected breast cancer were approached and 67 subjects with a positive diagnosis of breast cancer were recruited. Methods: Subjects were categorized into women who delayed their diagnosis and women who did not delay their diagnosis. A battery of 5 standardized questionnaires including self-efficacy, anxiety and depression, personality, spiritual support and hope was completed at the first three clinic visits. Results: Stage of cancer, trait extroversion/neuroticism and spiritual support were significantly different between groups (p<. 0.05). Subjects who did not delay (β= -1.613, p<. 0.05), and time that histology results were provided (β= -2.4333, p<. 0.001) had a significantly predicted negative change in self-efficacy compared to the group that delayed. Hope at the first clinic visit contributed to the change in self-efficacy over time (β= 0.391, p<. 0.001). Conclusions: Personal factors affecting a woman's delay in obtaining medical assessment of breast cancer confirmation. Hope impacts self-efficacy of women with suspected breast cancer and interventions to enhance hope during the early stages of breast cancer evaluation require further study.
AB - Background: Delaying a diagnosis of breast cancer directly and positively impacts survival. Self-efficacy has been shown to be a causal mechanism in a wide range of health behaviors, a measurable trait that predicts behavior across domains, which is strong associated with psychological variables. However, factors predicting self-efficacy of women with suspected breast cancer who delayed or did not delay seeking a breast cancer diagnosis over time have not been identified. Objectives: To examine the differences between women who delay and women who did not delay seeking a cancer diagnosis, and key factors predicting self-efficacy over time among women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer. Design: Descriptive, longitudinal design over 2 months following breast cancer diagnostic evaluation. Setting: A medical center is located in southern Taiwan. Participants: Eighty women with suspected breast cancer were approached and 67 subjects with a positive diagnosis of breast cancer were recruited. Methods: Subjects were categorized into women who delayed their diagnosis and women who did not delay their diagnosis. A battery of 5 standardized questionnaires including self-efficacy, anxiety and depression, personality, spiritual support and hope was completed at the first three clinic visits. Results: Stage of cancer, trait extroversion/neuroticism and spiritual support were significantly different between groups (p<. 0.05). Subjects who did not delay (β= -1.613, p<. 0.05), and time that histology results were provided (β= -2.4333, p<. 0.001) had a significantly predicted negative change in self-efficacy compared to the group that delayed. Hope at the first clinic visit contributed to the change in self-efficacy over time (β= 0.391, p<. 0.001). Conclusions: Personal factors affecting a woman's delay in obtaining medical assessment of breast cancer confirmation. Hope impacts self-efficacy of women with suspected breast cancer and interventions to enhance hope during the early stages of breast cancer evaluation require further study.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Longitudinal study
KW - Patient delay
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Self-efficacy
KW - Spiritual support
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84902329010&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.10.024
DO - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.10.024
M3 - Article
C2 - 24315542
AN - SCOPUS:84902329010
SN - 0020-7489
VL - 51
SP - 1036
EP - 1047
JO - International Journal of Nursing Studies
JF - International Journal of Nursing Studies
IS - 7
ER -
