Predicting work engagement among young adult cancer survivors: A moderated mediation model

INTRODUCTION

Early research on cancer survivors was focused on exploring cancer treatments. More recently, attention has shifted to cancer survivorship research, focusing on cancer survivors as individual persons, including the multiple facets of survivors' quality of life but is inapplicable in the context of work-related role played in the young adult cancer survivors' lives. However, in recent studies on the outcomes of long-term survivorship, some of the main areas of cancer survivorship research revolves around employment issues of young adult cancer survivors. In the present study, the focus is given on the role of workplace spirituality as a mediator on the association of employee resilience and workplace social support on work engagement in a Malaysian setting, taking into consideration gender and age differences.

METHODS

Using a quantitative research paradigm, data were collected from 270 respondents at Pediatric Institute Kuala Lumpur Hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to test the direct, indirect, and mediation effects.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings revealed that workplace spirituality did mediate the influence of employee resilience and workplace social support on work engagement. The findings also indicated that gender and age moderated the association of employee resilience and work engagement via workplace spirituality.

The Effect of Religious-Spiritual Psychotherapy on Illness Perception and Inner Strength among Patients with Breast Cancer in Iran

Women diagnosed with breast cancer often suffer from illness-related issues, which negatively impact their illness perception and inner strength following diagnosis and/or during treatment. An investigation of the effectiveness of religious-spiritual psychotherapy based on the Twelver Shia Sects of Islam (RSP-TSS) was conducted among hospitalized cancer patients to determine whether it improved their disease perception and inner strength. Forty-five women (ages 31-58) diagnosed with breast cancer in Iran were randomly assigned to RSP-TSS (n = 15), attention control (n = 15) and untreated control groups (n = 15). To meet the needs of hospitalized participants, the manualized RSP-TSS protocol was adapted to consist of ten sessions, each lasting 90 min. Sessions were conducted once weekly for 10 weeks. Primary outcome measures were the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) and the Inner Strength Questionnaire (ISQ). Data were collected in pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4 months following the intervention. Repeated MANOVA measures showed that, as compared with the attention control and untreated control groups, the RSP-TSS group achieved significant improvements in illness perception and inner strengths, and those gains were maintained during the 4-month follow-up. By reframing illness perception and building inner strength, spiritual and religious-based interventions may improve patients coping with cancer and improve the quality of life for women hospitalized with breast cancer. These promising results warrant further investigation into the efficacy of spiritual and religious-based interventions to remediate illness perception and inner strength problems in women diagnosed with serious medical illnesses.

Illness perception characteristics and influencing factors in adult patients with myasthenia gravis in China

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the illness perception characteristics of patients with myasthenia gravis and analyze the associated factors.

METHODS

A general information questionnaire, Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were used to survey 90 patients with myasthenia gravis. One-way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The timeline (acute/chronic), consequence, and emotional representation scores of patients with myasthenia gravis were 18.31 ± 4.47, 18.58 ± 3.57, and 20.80 ± 4.56, respectively. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that marital status, disease duration, educational level, disease type, and coping style are factors associated with illness perception in patients with myasthenia gravis.

CONCLUSION

Patients who have myasthenia gravis have a negative illness perception. Medical professionals should provide targeted intervention measures based on the factors associated with illness perception.

Analysis of quality of life in breast cancer survivors using structural equation modelling: the role of spirituality, social support and psychological well-being

BACKGROUND

To explore and characterize the inter-relationship between psychological well-being, spirituality, social support, comorbidity, demographic and lifestyle factors and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 305 breast cancer survivors in northern Iran in 2017. The demographic and socio-economic data and physical activity were measured with a standard questionnaire. The standard European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 QoL scale, a system-of-belief inventory questionnaire, the social support scale, the short form of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the fatigue severity scale (FSS) were used in data collection. In structural equation modelling analysis, we used the maximum likelihood procedure to estimate the direct and indirect effects of relevant factors on QoL.

RESULTS

The median age (quartile 1 [Q1], quartile 3 [Q3]) of patients was 50 y (43, 55). The psychological factors designated by anxiety, depression and FSS had a negative significant direct effect on QoL (β=-0.62). Spirituality has a positive direct effect (β=0.089) but a negligible indirect effect (β=0.020) on QoL, while the direct association of social support was almost negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings emphasized the unifying structure of the determinants of QoL and the mediating negative association of psychological factors with QoL. Thus the supportive education efforts should focus on improving psychological well-being along with standard treatment in breast cancer survivors.

The Effects of Illness Cognition on Resilience and Quality of Life in Korean Adolescents and Young Adults with Leukemia

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of illness cognition on resilience and quality of life (QOL) in adolescents with leukemia. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design. The study was conducted at a hospital in Seoul, Korea. The target population of this study was 72 adolescents and young adults (AYA) who received follow-up visit for leukemia. Participants completed measures of their resilience, illness cognition (i.e., helplessness, acceptance, and perceived benefits), and QOL. The correlation between the study variables was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, while the impacts on resilience and QOL were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Acceptance, which is a subcategory of illness cognition, was associated with resilience and QOL of AYA leukemia survivors. After acceptance was included in model 2 using the hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the increased explanatory powers of resilience and QOL were 23% and 33%, respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that acceptance, which is a subcategory of illness cognition, may be an important factor for resilience and QOL in AYA leukemia survivors.

Cancer Illness Perception and Self-Management of Chinese Patients

Objective:

The purpose of this article is to examine the relationships of illness perception, self-care, self-efficacy, and self-care strategies and their effects on Chinese cancer patients’ quality of life (QOL).

Methods:

Questionnaires include data on demographic characteristics, illness perception, symptom self-care activity, and QOL. A secondary analysis was conducted on a sample of ethnic Chinese breast-and-colon cancer patients (n = 159) to examine multivariate associations. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlational analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze quantitative data.

Results:

The hierarchical regression model explained 43% of variance in QOL. Perceived illness consequence, personal control, and performance functioning status were found to be significant predictors in the model. Comparisons between breast-and-colon cancer patients showed that colon cancer patients significantly perceived higher levels of chronicity and negativity toward cancer than breast cancer patients. Conversely, breast cancer patients had significantly higher level of QOL and efficacy in making decision. Stress and overwork were the common perceived causes of cancer reported by these patients.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that improving self-care efficacy and positive personal control can improve Chinese cancer patients’ QOL. Variation in illness perceptions of cancer by different types of cancer should be considered in cancer survivorship planning and patient education.