Causal attributions to epidemiological risk factors and their associations to later psychological adjustment among Japanese breast cancer patients |
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Authors: | Shino Oba Naoyoshi Takatsuka Chisato Nagata Yasuko Nagao Satoru Yamamoto Chiken Shibuya Yoshitomo Kashiki Hiroyuki Shimizu |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Prevention for Lifestyle-related Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu Gifu, 501-1194, Japan;(2) Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu Gifu, 501-1194, Japan;(3) Gihoku General Hospital, 1187-3 Takatomi, Yamagata Gifu, 501-2105, Japan;(4) School of Dentistry, Asahi University, 1851 Hozumi, Mizuho Gifu, 501-0296, Japan;(5) Sakihai Institute, 8-1 Koganemachi, Gifu Gifu, 500-8842, Japan |
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Abstract: | Goals The objective of this study was to evaluate the causal attributions for breast cancer and their association with the subsequent
psychological adjustment.
Materials and methods Sixty-three Japanese patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer were asked by an interviewer about risk factors and explanations
for the etiology of breast cancer using a four-point scale. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Center for Epidemiologic
Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered about 2 months later to measure psychological adjustment to the illness.
The relationship between each causal attribution and measure of psychological adjustment was assessed with the Spearman rank
correlation after adjusting for potential confounders (age, marital status, cancer stage at diagnosis, time between the day
of diagnosis and follow-up, and physical symptoms at the follow-up).
Main results Attributions to several explanations, including “stress” and “personal characteristics,” were positively associated with the
GHQ-28 measures. Of the attributions to risk factors, “body size” was significantly inversely (r = −0.29) associated and “never having children” was insignificantly and highly inversely (r = −0.77) associated with the GHQ-28 measures, indicating better adjustment to the illness. On the other hand, the attribution
to “tobacco” was significantly and positively associated with the GHQ-28 measures (r = 0.34), indicating that the attributions antagonized adjustment to the illness.
Conclusion The current study indicates that forming causal attributions influences the adjustment to the illness in Japanese breast cancer
patients and attributions to certain risk factors for breast cancer may contribute to better adjustment. |
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Keywords: | Causal attributions Epidemiological risk factors Psychological adjustment Japanese breast cancer patients |
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