Correlation of Uncertainty, Coping, and Health-Promoting Behavior in Patients with Gastric Cancer following Gastrectomy

위절제술을 받은 위암환자의 불확실성, 대처, 건강증진행위 간의 관계

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the correlation of uncertainty, coping and health-promoting behavior in patients with gastric cancer who have undergone a gastrectomy. Methods: A descriptive correlational design was used and the participants were 120 gastric cancer patients from one general hospital. The structured questionnaire included Mishle's Uncertainty in Illness Scale, the Korean Cancer Coping Questionnaire, and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: There were significant negative correlations between uncertainty and intrapersonal coping (r=-.657, p<.001); between uncertainty and interpersonal coping (r=-.223, p=.014); and between uncertainty and health promoting behavior (r=-.594, p<.001). There were significant positive correlations between intrapersonal coping and health promoting behavior (r=.790, p<.001); and between interpersonal coping and health promoting behavior (r=.502, p<.001). Uncertainty, intrapersonal coping, and interpersonal coping explained 49% of health promoting behavior (F=21.312, p<.001). The factors that influenced health promoting behavior were intrapersonal coping (${\beta}=.582$, p<.001), and interpersonal coping (${\beta}=.246$, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that intrapersonal coping and interpersonal coping were significant variables for health promoting behavior in patients with gastric cancer who had undergone a gastrectomy in the past six months.