Association Between Self-Efficacy and Performance Status Among Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
Downloads
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-efficacy and performance status among cancer patients. Additionally, it examined the influence of socio-demographic variables on both constructs.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational study was conducted from October 2024 to June 2025 at two oncology centers in Al-Hillah, Iraq. A convenience sample of 325 cancer patients was selected using non-probability sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (6 items), and the Zubrod Performance Status (ZPS) scale. Validity was ensured through expert review, and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-23. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlation, linear regression) were applied, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05.
Findings: Of the 325 participants, 66.5% had high self-efficacy, while 72.9% showed high functional performance (low ZPS scores). A strong negative relationship was found between self-efficacy and ZPS (β = –0.798, p < 0.001), indicating that higher self-efficacy predicted better functional status. Socio-demographic variables such as education, income, and occupation were significantly associated with both self-efficacy and performance status. Age was negatively correlated with self-efficacy and positively correlated with ZPS.
Conclusion: Self-efficacy significantly influences the functional capacity of cancer patients. Enhancing patients' belief in their ability to manage disease-related challenges could improve performance outcomes. Integrating self-efficacy training into psycho-oncological care is recommended.
Downloads
Abbass, Z. (2024). Self-efficacy as a Predictor of Self-Management Capacity in Cancer Patients. Academia Open, 9(1), 10-21070. https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.9.2024.10305
Al-Harithy, F. M., & Wazqar, D. Y. (2021). Factors associated with self-management practices and self-efficacy among adults with cancer under treatment in Saudi Arabia. J Clin Nurs, 30(21-22), 3301-3313. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15843
Al-Mamoori, H. M. K. (2019). Assessment of Physical Problems on Performance Status to Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy at Al-Hilla City [MSc Thesis, College of Nursing, Babylon University]. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366395105_Assessment_of_Physical_Problems_Related_to_Chemotherapy_among_Patients_with_Cancer_in_Al-Najaf_City_Assessment_of_Physical_Problems_Related_to_Chemotherapy_among_Patients_with_Cancer_in_Al-Najaf_City
Alam, M. M., Rahman, T., Afroz, Z., Chakraborty, P. A., Wahab, A., Zaman, S., & Hawlader, M. D. H. (2020). Quality of Life (QoL) of cancer patients and its association with nutritional and performance status: A pilot study. Heliyon, 6(10), e05250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05250
Ali, W. I. S. (2019). Fatigue and its Relationship with Treatment Acceptance among Cancerous Patients at Kirkuk Oncology and Hematology Center in Kirkuk City [MSc Thesis, College of Nursing, Babylon University]. https://jcs.tbzmed.ac.ir/PDF/jcs-10-210.pdf
Bourgeois, A., Horrill, T., Mollison, A., Stringer, E., Lambert, L. K., & Stajduhar, K. (2024). Barriers to cancer treatment for people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage in high-income countries: a scoping review. BMC Health Serv Res, 24(1), 670. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11129-2
Chandraprasad, M. S., Dey, A., & Swamy, M. K. (2022). Introduction to cancer and treatment approaches. In Paclitaxel (Vol. 1, pp. 1-27). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90951-8.00010-2
Christiansen, N., Walter, S., Zomorodbakhsch, B., Sartakhti, E. A., & Hübner, J. (2021). Assessment of Self-Efficacy as a Way to Help Identify Cancer Patients Who Might Benefit from Self-Help Group Attendance? Cancer Invest, 39(2), 133-143. https://doi.org/10.1080/07357907.2020.1867996
Fang, R. (2020). Diabetes Self-Efficacy: Longitudinal Relationships With Diabetes Overall Self-Management, Medication Non-Adherence, Diabetes Distress, and Glycemic Control in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes [Doctoral dissertation, Yeshiva University]. https://search.proquest.com/openview/0be1682cf0a072d7b6ce93ba493bf015/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
George, M., Smith, A., Sabesan, S., & Ranmuthugala, G. (2021). Physical Comorbidities and Their Relationship with Cancer Treatment and Its Outcomes in Older Adult Populations: Systematic Review. Jmir Cancer, 7(4), e26425. https://doi.org/10.2196/26425
Hardcastle, S. J., Maxwell-Smith, C., & Hagger, M. S. (2021). Predicting physical activity change in cancer survivors: an application of the Health Action Process Approach. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-021-01107-6
Hashim, S. H., & Khalil, M. S. (2018). Self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and quality of life amongst cancer patients. J Psychol Clin Psychiatry, 9(5), 450. https://doi.org/10.15406/jpcpy.2018.09.00569
Hashim, S. S. (2021). Patient activation measure associated with physical and mental symptoms experienced by patients undergoing hemodialysis in Al-Hilla Teaching Hospitals [MSc Thesis, College of Nursing, Babylon University]. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8638382/
Karademas, E. C., Simos, P., Pat-Horenczyk, R., Roziner, I., Mazzocco, K., & Sousa, B. (2023). The Interplay Between Trait Resilience and Coping Self-efficacy in Patients with Breast Cancer: An International Study. J Clin Psychol Med Settings, 30(1), 119-128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-022-09872-x
Kurtz, M. E., Kurtz, J. C., Given, C. W., & Given, B. A. (2008). Patient optimism and mastery-do they play a role in cancer patients' management of pain and fatigue? J Pain Symptom Manage, 36(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.08.010
Ma, G., Zhou, C., Han, Z., Mu, T., & Ma, X. (2024). Social support and physical literacy in young and middle-aged patients with hypertension: the mediating effects of sense of coherence and self-efficacy. BMC psychiatry, 24(1), 494. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05935-5
Martinez-Calderon, J., Zamora-Campos, C., Navarro-Ledesma, S., & Luque-Suarez, A. (2018). The Role of Self-Efficacy on the Prognosis of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review. J Pain, 19(1), 10-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.08.008
Masoompour, M., Tirgari, B., & Ghazanfari, Z. (2017). The relationship between health literacy, self-efficacy, and self-care behaviors in diabetic patients. Evid Based Care, 7(3), 17-25. https://ebcj.mums.ac.ir/http://ebcj.mums.ac.ir/article_9378.html
Merluzzi, T. V., Philip, E. J., Heitzmann Ruhf, C. A., Liu, H., Yang, M., & Conley, C. C. (2018). Self-efficacy for coping with cancer: Revision of the Cancer Behavior Inventory (Version 3.0). Psychol Assess, 30(4), 486-499. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000483
Mhamad, H. J., Najmadden, Z. B., Hama Salih, K. H., Hama, D. A., Abdullah, H. O., Hasan, K. M., Kareem, H. O., Mohammed, B. A., Fattah, F. H., Abdalla, B. A., Kakamad, F. H., & Mohammed, S. H. (2024). Prevalence and predictive factors associated with stunting in preschool children in a governorate of Iraq: a community-based cross-sectional study. Front Nutr, 11, 1322625. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1322625
Roca, F., Lang, P. O., & Chassagne, P. (2019). Chronic neurological disorders and related comorbidities: Role of age-associated physiological changes. In Handb Clin Neurol (Vol. 167, pp. 105-122). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804766-8.00007-8
Shakya, D. (2018). Self-efficacy among patients with chronic diseases and its associated factors. J Kathmandu Med Coll, 7(3), 82-88. https://doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v7i3.22675
Simcock, R., & Wright, J. (2020). Beyond performance status. Clinical Oncology, 32(9), 553-561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clon.2020.06.016
Wang, L., Luo, J., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., & Wang, W. (2022). Social support, anxiety, and depression in patients with prostate cancer: complete mediation of self-efficacy. Support Care Cancer, 30(8), 6851-6856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07065-8
White, L. L., Cohen, M. Z., Berger, A. M., Kupzyk, K. A., & Bierman, P. J. (2019). Self-Efficacy for Management of Symptoms and Symptom Distress in Adults With Cancer: An Integrative Review. Oncology Nursing Forum, 46(1). https://search.proquest.com/openview/fbb6136a8c7fc3a04f671e7c10a7b993/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37213
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.