Factors Affecting Self-Care Behavior of the Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy in Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

          The purposes of this research were to investigate the self-care behavior of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Ubon Ratchathani, to examine the relationshipbetween factors (i.e. the bio-social factor, the basic capacity and backgrounds of the patients, the psychological factor, and the social support factor) and the self-care behavior, and to explore the factors affecting the self-care behavior of the patients. The sample group consisted of 269 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy aged 15-65 years, selected by means of the stratified random and purposive sampling methods. The research instrument was a 5-part-questionnaire including the checklist for identifying the bio-social factor, the questions about the basic capacity and backgrounds of the patients, the questions about the psychological factors, the questions about the social support, and the questions about the self-care behavior of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Statistics used in data analysis were percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviatio roduct moment correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The research findings were as follows; 1) the self-care behavior of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in UbonRatchathani was found to be at a high level, 2) The bio-social factors , the basic capacity and backgrounds factor, the psychological factor , and the social support factor had a linear relative relationship with the self-care behavior of the patients at a significant level, 3) The monthly income and educational level (uneducated) of the respondents were found to have a positive relation with the self-care behavior of the patients, and 4) The separate married status was found to have a significantly negative relation with the self-care behavior of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Ubon Ratchathani