Objective: To identify social-cognitive factors predicting lymphoedema risk-reduction behaviours (hereafter, self-care) after discharge among patients in Japan with breast or gynaecological cancers, using the extended model of the theory of planned behaviour.
Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in an oncology hospital. Items measured were (1) knowledge about self-care; (2) the Cancer Fatigue Scale; (3) social-cognitive factors in the theory of planned behaviour (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control); (4) self-care (limb hygiene, observation, articular movement, recommended risk-reduction behaviours in daily life, and diet and weight control); and (5) demographics. Of 202 respondents, 147 who had not been diagnosed with lymphoedema were eligible for statistical analysis (65.3% with gynaecological cancer, 34.7% with breast cancer).
Results: Structural equation modelling was used to examine a hypothesised model based on the theory of planned behaviour. The results revealed that a longer time since surgery, higher levels of fatigue, less knowledge, higher expected efficacy of self-care, and lower perceived behavioural control directly and significantly predicted less self-care behaviour.
Conclusions: Besides education about self-care behaviour, levels of fatigue and perceived behavioural control should be taken into account to encourage female patients with cancer to perform self-care after discharge. Continuous psycho-educational programmes after discharge may help to facilitate self-care behaviours among long-term female cancer survivors.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Gynaecological cancer; Lymphoedema; Predictive factors; Self-care; Social–cognitive factors.