Korean J Adult Nurs.  2021 Jun;33(3):259-268. 10.7475/kjan.2021.33.3.259.

Relationship between Health Literacy and Self-care Behavior in Patients with Stomach Cancer after Gastrectomy: Mediating Effects of Subjective Health Status and Specific Self-efficacy

• Kim MJ
• Shin YS

• KMID: 2517241
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2021.33.3.259

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to identify subjective health status and specific self-efficacy, and their mediating effects on the relationship between health literacy and self-care behavior in stomach cancer patients following gastrectomy.
Methods
A descriptive survey design was used. Data were collected from 131 gastric cancer patients between 17 February and 10 September, 2020 at a cancer center in Gyeonggi-Do. The participants responded to a self-reporting questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the bootstrapping method with SPSS/WIN 25.0 and PROCESS macro program.
Results
The mean score for self-care behavior was 66.78±8.36. Self-care behavior was significantly associated with health literacy, subjective health status, and specific self-efficacy. The mediating effect of specific self-efficacy on the impact of health literacy on self-care behavior was confirmed.
Conclusion
The impact of health literacy on self-care behavior was mediated by specific self-efficacy in stomach cancer patients following gastrectomy. Further, the results suggest that specific self-efficacy needs to be considered in developing nursing interventions to enhance health literacy and improve self-care behavior for stomach cancer patients after gastrectomy.

Keyword

Health literacy; Diagnostic self-evaluation; Self efficacy; Self care