Korean J Psychosom Med.  2012 Dec;20(2):91-97.

Relationship between Psychosocial Factor and Positive Health Behavior Change after Diagnosis in Breast Cancer Patients

• Jung D
• Shim EJ
• Hwang JW
• Hahm BJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
With the increase in cancer prevalence, the health behavior of cancer survivors has become an important issue. This study was conducted to examine the psychosocial correlates of behavior changes after cancer diagnosis.
METHODS
95 patients completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, insomnia, posttraumatic stress symptoms, social constraints, personal beliefs about cancer cause and health-related behavior changes after cancer diagnosis.
RESULTS
In the multiple logistic regression analysis, insomnia was the only significant predictor of positive change in physical behavior : normal sleep group(Odds ratio=9.462, 95% CI 1.738-51.509) and subthreshold insomnia group(Odds ratio=10.529, 95% CI 1.701-65.161) showed a larger increase compared to the insomnia group. In psychosocial behavior, low age, religion and causal belief in hormonal factors were independent factors that predicted increase in positive change.
CONCLUSIONS
This study showed a difference between predictors of physical and psychosocial health behavior change after breast cancer diagnosis. Multi-faceted approaches are required to promote positive change in health behavior in cancer patients.

Keyword

Breast cancer; Health-related behavior; Insomnia; Avoidance; Hyperarousal; Depression

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Depression
Health Behavior
Humans
Logistic Models
Prevalence
Questionnaires
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Survivors