1Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea. 2Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic compliance and its related factors in lung cancer patients. METHODS: The subjects of this study comprised 277 patients first diagnosed with lung cancer at Kyungpook National University Hospital between Jan 1999 and Sept 1999. Of these, 141 (50.9%) participated in the study by properly replying to structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using a simplified Health Decision Model. This model includes categories of variables covering therapeutic compliance, health beliefs, patient preferences, knowledge and experience, social interaction, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The therapeutic compliance rate of the 141 study subjects was 78.0%. An analysis of health beliefs and patient preferences revealed health concern (p<0.05), dependency on medicine (p<0.05), perceived susceptibility and severity (p<0.05) as well as preferred treatment (p<0.01) as factors related to therapeutic compliance. Factors from the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical factors that were related to therapeutic compliance were age (p<0.01), monthly income (p<0.05), histological type (p<0.05) and clinical stage (p<0.05) of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In order to improve therapeutic compliance in lung cancer patients it is necessary to educate the aged, low-income patients, or patients who have small cell lung cancer or lung cancer of an advanced stage for which surgery is not indicated. Additionally, it is essential for medical personnel to have a deep concern about patients who have poor lifestyles, a low dependency on medicine, or a high perceived susceptibility and severity. Practically, early diagnosis of lung cancer and thoughtful considerations of low-income patients are important. By means of population-based education in a community, we may promote attention to health and enhance the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
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