Investigation of the Relationship Between Care Dependency and Self-Care Behaviors in Chemotherapy Patients

• Published in: Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 8; no. 5; pp. 372 - 377
• Main Authors: Koyuncu, Naciye Esra, Su, Serpil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi Tic. Ltd 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Analysis; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Lung cancer; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Patient education
• ISSN: 2149-7893; 2536-507X
• DOI: 10.4274/cjms.2021.3530

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The symptoms experienced by patients receiving chemotherapy reduce their ability to perform daily life activities, adversely affect their quality of life, and make them dependent on care to meet their care needs. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between care dependency and self-care behaviors in patients undergoing chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 100 patients in Turkiye between November 2018 and February 2019. Ethics committee approval, institution permit, and patient consent were obtained to conduct the study. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using the Patient Information Form, Care Dependency Scale, and Self-care Behavior Scale according to Self-Care Inability Theory in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. In the analysis of the data, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson correlation test, and regression analysis were used in independent groups. RESULTS: It was found that 74% of the patients who participated in the study were male, 48% were between 39 and 58 years old, 38% were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 63% received 2-4 cycles of chemotherapy. The mean scores of "Care Dependency Scale" (68.98 [+ or -] 15.89) and "Self-care Behavior Scale According to Self-Care Inability Theory in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy" (69.54 [+ or -] 13.20) were at a moderate level. It was determined that the patients' care dependency scores accounted for the change in the total score of self-care behaviors at a rate of 21%. CONCLUSION: As a result, the study found that self-care behavior increased as the care dependency of chemotherapy patients decreased, and self-care behaviors were affected by care dependency at a low rate. Keywords: Care dependency, chemotherapy, self-care