Lay Etiology, Self-Efficacy and Patient Activation Among Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background

We aimed at clarifying correlations between lay etiologies, self-efficacy, and patient activation among cancer patients.

Methods

Patients with different kinds of cancer answered a questionnaire on self-efficacy, lay etiology, and patient activation.

Results

639 patients participated. Psychological reasons/stress (43.3%) and destiny (41.6%) were the most cited causes. Lay etiology was influenced by demographics, self-efficacy, and patient activation. Men, younger people, and active patients more often described internal causes of cancer, women and religious patients more often external causes. Patients with higher scores of self-efficacy were more often convinced of external cancer causes.

Conclusion

By identifying individual disease theories, physicians may improve patient–physician communication.

Keywords:

• Neoplasm
• self-efficacy
• patient advocacy
• patient participation
• lay etiology
• health behavior

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all patients who participated in this study.

Ethics vote

All data were anonymously taken. According to the rules of the ethics committee at the university hospital at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, an ethics vote was necessary. It was granted in November 2017 (Nr. 5347-11/17).

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.