Patients after gastrectomy for gastric cancer are at risk of malnutrition, and poor nutritional status negatively affects patients’ clinical outcomes. Knowledge of the factors influencing patients’ nutritional status can inform interventions for improving patients’ nutrition. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe nutritional status and related factors in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy. A convenience sample of gastric cancer patients with gastrectomy was recruited from general surgery or oncology clinics of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Data were collected with self-reported questionnaires, including the Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy—Gastric Module version 4, the Concerns in Meal Preparation scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Mini Nutrition Assessment. One hundred and one gastric cancer patients participated in the study. There were 81 cases of subtotal gastrectomy and 20 cases of total gastrectomy. Most patients (52.5%) were malnourished or at risk. Linear regression showed that symptom severity (β = −0.43), employment status (β = 0.19), and difficulty in diet preparation (β = −0.21) were significant predictors of nutritional status. Together, these three variables explained 35.8% of the variance in patient nutritional status (F = 20.3, p < 0.001). More than 50% of our participants were malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, indicating a need for continued monitoring and support after discharge from hospitals. Special attention should be given to patients with severe symptoms, unemployment, and difficulties in diet preparation.

Background: The important role of self-efficacy in facilitating health behavior and, in turn, promoting health outcomes has been widely presumed in the theoretical literature. However, little research has focused on the mechanism by which self-care mediates the relationship between symptom-management self-efficacy and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between symptom-management self-efficacy and quality of life in Taiwanese oncology outpatients with breast cancer and then proposes self-care as a mediator between these two factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 201 oncology outpatients at one teaching hospital in metropolitan Taipei City, Taiwan. The research instruments included the Symptom-Management Self-Efficacy Scale—Cancer (SMSES-Breast Ca.), the Self-Care Scale, and the European Organization for Research & Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Results: Symptom-management self-efficacy (SMSE) was directly associated with the QOL of the participants (β = 5.94, p < .001). Moreover, SMSE was indirectly associated with QOL through self-care. Self-care was found to mediate the relationship between symptom-management self-efficacy and global QOL (indirect effect = 0.54, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.18). The level of 95% CI was significant. Conclusions: The present study supports that self-efficacy beliefs and self-care both significantly and positively influence the quality of life of patients.

Background: Hemodialysis impacts the quality of life of patients with end-stage renal disease. Particularly, depression is the most common psychological condition among patients. Self-care self-efficacy might play an important role in quality of life of patients with hemodialysis.Objective: This study was designed to explore the relationships among self-care self-efficacy, depression, and quality of life. The second aim was to explore the extent to which self-care self-efficacy and depression explain the variance in quality of life of patients on hemodialysis.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 127 patients receiving hemodialysis and used the Short Form 36 Health Survey, the Strategies Used by People to Promote Health, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 to evaluate quality of life, self-care self-efficacy, and depression. Data was analyzed using independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical multiple regression.Results: The findings indicated that self-care self-efficacy was significantly positively correlated (PCSr= .533,p < 0.001, MCSr= .47,p < .001) and depression was significantly negatively correlated (PCSr= −.446,p < .001, MCSr= −.605,p < .001) with the two quality of life components. Self-care self-efficacy and depression were significant predictors of the physical (R²inc= 0.09,β= -0.38,p<0.001,R²inc= 0.12,β =-0.22,p<0.001) and mental (R²inc= 0.04%,β= -0.25,p<0.001,R²inc= 0.33,β= -0.51,p<0.001) quality of life of hemodialysis patients.Conclusions: Health professionals may target improving self-care self-efficacy and reducing depressive symptoms to enhance patient quality of life.