Factors Influencing Resilience of Older Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Background/Objectives:  This study is a descriptive study to understand causal attribution, coping, social support, and resilience of older patients with cancer and determine factors influencing their resilience, using a resilience model. The purpose of this study was to provide data for the development of resilience intervention programs for older cancer patients.

Methods/Statistical analysis: We conducted one-on-one interviews among 104 older cancer patients who were hospitalized in a university hospital or visited its outpatient clinics during the period from August 3 through October 28 in 2017.

Findings: Resilience of older cancer patients was significantly different by age (t=2.010, p=.047), economic status (F=3.370, p=.038), and subjective health status (F=4.559, p=.013). Older cancer patients’ resilience was negatively correlated with causal attribution (r=-.208, p=.034) and positively correlated with coping (r=.517, p<.001) and social support (r=.394, p<.001). Factors influencing their resilience were planning (p=.002) in the personal coping category and family support (p=.022) in the social support category.

Improvements/Applications: The results suggest that development of intervention programs that can enhance coping and family support is needed to improve resilience of older cancer patients.0 words. It makes it possible to write about the results of the improved research and other applications.