Factors predicting the sense of coherence in Thai women with breast cancer after treatment in university hospital

Abstract

© 2018, Medical Association of Thailand. All rights reserved. Objective: To study factors predicting the sense of coherence [SOC] in Thai women with breast cancer after treatment in one university hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research studied 132 patients with breast cancer who attended at Ramathibodi Hospital between March 2012 and April 2013. Three instruments were 1) the personal information and disease and treatment questions, 2) the social support questionnaires, and 3) the SOC-13 (short form questionnaires). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the social support was 0.88, and for the SOC questionnaires was 0.75. Data were analyzed by descriptive and multiple regression using enter technique. Results: The present study showed that social support (b = 0.44, p<0.001), time after treatment (b = -0.46, p = 0.022), and symptom distress (b = -0.80, p = 0.007) could predict the SOC in 27.1%, whereas age and education level could not predict the SOC in breast cancer patients. Conclusion: Results from the study can be used as evidence-based to promote social support especially in patients who had symptom distress in early period after treatment to improve the SOC in breast cancer patients.