Lung cancer patients' belief in fatalism in health and perceptions of self-efficacy

The aim of this study was to evaluate lung cancer patients' health fatalism beliefs and self-efficacy perceptions and to determine the relationship between them. This cross-sectional study was conducted between 10.02.2023-01.06.2023 with 119 individuals with lung cancer diagnosed in the last 6 months who applied to the Chemotherapy Unit in Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University Health Application and Research Center for treatment and received inpatient treatment in the Oncology Service.Written approval (Date: 20.01.2023) and institutional permission were obtained from Amasya University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, Fatalism Scale and General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale. In the analysis of quantitative independent data, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare scale scores and descriptive characteristics. Spearman correlation analysis method was applied in correlation analysis. The power of the study was determined according to Post Hoc Power analysis. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. The mean age of the individuals was 64.0±9.0, 80.7% were male, 82.9% were married and 53.8% were primary school graduates. In addition, it was determined that 53.4% of the individuals were retired, 95.0% were not working and 75.6% had equal income and expenditure balance. The mean score of the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale was 33.30±5.22 and the mean score of the Fatalism Scale was 3.02±0.77. The mean score of the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale was found to be higher in individuals whose income was higher than their expenses, who exercised regularly, and who ate a healthy diet (p<0.05). It was determined that the mean total score of the Fatalism Scale was higher in individuals who were single, literate and illiterate, unemployed, whose income was less than their expenses and who did not exercise regularly (p<0.05). There was no significant relationship between the total score of the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale and the total score of the Fatalism Scale (r=-0.130, p>0.05). It was determined that lung cancer patients had medium level of fatalistic beliefs in health and high level of self-efficacy perceptions. It was found that there was no significant relationship between individuals' fatalistic beliefs in health and their self-efficacy perceptions. It may be recommended that nurses, who are the leading professionals in health promotion, should plan and practice by considering the beliefs and perceptions of individuals in the care of lung cancer patients. Keywords: Fatalism, Lung Cancer, Nursing Self-Efficacy