Associations between acceptance of illness, psychological resilience, and patient activation among young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationships between acceptance of illness, psychological resilience, and patient activation (PA) in young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2024. Patients with lung cancer completed a survey that included the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and the Summary of the Psychological Resilience Scale brief version (CD-RISC10). Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate regression analysis were used to identify factors influencing PA. A total of 292 patients participated in the study. The mean PAM score was 66.77 (SD=13.25). Higher levels of PA were positively associated with acceptance of illness (β=0.475, 95 % CI: 1.073-1.437, P < 0.001) and psychological resilience (β=0.503, 95 % CI: 1.073-1.426, P < 0.001), collectively explaining 78.4 % of the variance after controlling for age, education, and duration of discharge in the multiple linear regression analysis. Age, education, duration of discharge, acceptance of illness, and psychological resilience each influenced PA distinctly, with acceptance of illness and psychological resilience emerging as the most significant predictors. Professionals should implement targeted interventions for young and middle-aged lung cancer patients, focusing on enhancing illness acceptance and psychological resilience to improve self-care capabilities and promote long-term self-management.