Coping Mechanisms and Illness Perception Associated with Health-Related Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Patients in Ogun State

Abstract

Background: The second most common malignancy in men globally is prostate cancer. Moreover, one of the regions with the highest estimated death rates from prostate cancer is sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among Nigerian men is prostate cancer. However, negative illness perceptions, including worry about the disease and the severity of symptoms, have been linked to poorer prognosis among cancer patients. Generally, cancer patients adopt various coping mechanisms to deal with these stressors. Meanwhile, little is known about the health-related quality of life of prostate cancer patients in this region, regarding their coping mechanisms and illness perception. Therefore, this study examined, coping mechanisms and illness perceptions associated with health-related quality of life among prostate cancer patients in Ogun State, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed the Purposive sampling technique. Correlation analysis was used to determine the association between coping mechanisms, illness perception, and the health-related quality of life of participants. Results: The association between illness perception and health-related quality of life was positively correlated and statistically significant (r=.547, p=.000). However, in the association between coping mechanism and health-related quality of life; problem-focused coping and health-related quality of life were found to be positively correlated and statistically significant (r=.228, p=.000); emotion-focused coping and health-related quality of life were found to be positively correlated and statistically significant (r=.388, p=.000); while avoidant coping and health-related quality of life were found to be negatively correlated (r= -0.192, p=.000). Conclusion: This study found that a higher illness perception score correlated with a higher health-related quality of life score. Also, a higher problem-focused and emotion-focused coping mechanism score correlated with a higher health-related quality of life score. While a higher avoidant coping score inversely correlated to a lower health-related quality of life score.