The postoperative self-care ability and its risk factors in patients with esophageal cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the postoperative self-care ability and its influence factors in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods The self-made basic status questionnaire, exercise of self-care agency scale and social support rating scale were used to survey 106 cases with esophageal cancer from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2014. The risk factors of self-care ability were analyzed. Results 101 effective questionnaire were got and the effective rate was 95.28%. The total score of self-care ability was (108.6± 21.5), 45 cases (44.55%) were at higher level and 56 cases (55.45%) were at moderate level. Univariate analysis showed educational level, chronic health disorders and health perception were associated with the total score of postoperative self-care ability (All P < 0.01). The total score of social support were (43.5±6.5) and positively correlated with self-care ability (r=0.325, P < 0.01). The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that education level, health perception and social support were important risk factors of self-care ability (t=2.926, -3.654, 2.301, All P < 0.05 or 0.01). Conclusions The level of postoperative self-care ability in patients with esophageal cancer is not high. For the patients with low level of education, health perception and social support, nurse should enhance the health education. Key words: Esophageal neoplasms; Self-care; Influencing factors