The Resourcefulness and the Health-Promoting Behaviors of Cancer Patients

Suh, Soon Rim; Kim, Hee Ju

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to define the degree of the resourcefulness and the health-promoting behavior of cancer patients, to identify the relationship between the resourcefulness and the health promoting behaviors and to provide the basis for strategic nursing intervention. This study was conducted by an exploratory survey. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaires from 97 cancer patients in a university hospital in Tae-Gu from September to December of 1998. The sample data were collected by using a convenient sampling method. The following instruments were used in the study after some adaptation: Park Chai Soon's Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile, Oh Pok Ja's instrument for health promotion behavior and the Rosenbaum self-control schedule(SCS). The reliability of instruments was tested with Chronbach'alph(.79-.89). Data was analyzed by using the SAS program. T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's coefficients of correlation. The results of this study were as follows: First, the average score of the resourcefulness variable was 22.20; the range of the score was from -30 to +81 The average score of the performance in the health promoting behavior variable was 96.13; the range of the score was from 39 to 137 Second, the resourcefulness variable was significantly different from such demographic factors as gender and perceived health status, but there was no statistically significant difference between the demographic factors and the health promoting behavior variable, except that of perceived health status. Third, the performance in health promoting behavior of cancer patients was significantly correlated with the resourcefulness of cancer patients(r= .50) In conclusion, resourcefulness was identified to be an important variable that could contribute to promote health-promoting behavior.