Study On The Status Of Healthy Behavior Of Postoperative Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer And Its Correlation With Quality Of Life

ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to investigate the status of healthy behavior of postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer, and identify modifying variables for explaining the occurrence of healthy behavior. A secondary aim was to inquire into their quality of life and its correlation with healthy behavior.MethodsConvenience sampling was employed to recruit120gastrointestinal cancer patients who had undergone surgery in a Tianjin3A hospital. The instruments used in this study included a personal data form, the Health promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP Ⅱ), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30(EORTC QLQ-C30). The survey was done face to face in patients who came to hospital for reexamination or adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients who are not available in hospital were questionnaire via telephone. The collected data was analyzed by software Package SPSS17.0. Patients’general information, healthy behavior and quality of life were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and multiple stepwise regression were used to identify modifying variables for explaining the occurrence of healthy behavior, partial correlation analysis was used to probe into the correlation between healty behavior and quality of life.Results(1) The healthy behavior score of postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer was (134.25±20.92), which was higher than domestic norm (t=3.30, p＜0.001). All dimensions were in order of decreasing standardized score-Nutrition, Interpersonal Relations, Health Responsibility, Stress Management, Spiritual Growth, and Physical Activity, Nutrition have obvious higher, while Spiritual Growth and Physical Activity scores scored poor.(2) The score of general quality of life of postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer was (45.80±17.64), the score of Functioning dimension were higher, but Emotional Functioning and Social Functioning were impaired much more than other Functionings. Fatigue, Appetite loss, and Financial difficulties were highest scored. (3) There were a significant moderate positive correlation between healthy behavior and general quality of life (r=0.505, p＜0.01), and positive correlations between healthy behavior and all Functionings as well ((r=0.374～0.545, p＜0.05). But only negative correlations between healthy behavior and Fatigue, Appetite loss, and Financial difficulties (r=-0.249～-0.527, p<0.05).(4) There was significant difference in the score of healthy behavior among patients of different age, education, income, awareness. Multiple stepwise regression indicated that income, education, and awareness were major influencing factors and could explain45.7%of the variance in healthy behavior.Conclusions(1)The healthy behavior could be promoted in postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer, especially the Spiritual Growth, and Physical Activity.(2) The general quality of life of postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer was poor, Functioning dimension were higher, but Emotional Functioning and Social Functioning were impaired much more than other Functionings. Patients were suffering from Fatigue, Appetite loss, and Financial difficulties much more.(3) Patients who performed better healthy behaviors tend to had higher quality of life and Functionings, and suffered from Fatigue, Appetite loss, and Financial difficulties fewer. Health professionals should pay attention to the impact of cancer patients’ healthy behaviors on their quality of life.(4) Income, education, and awareness could influence healthy behaviors in postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer, more attention and individualized guidance were called for in patients or who were low income, poor educated, or not aware of cancer.