Focus on health promotion: self-efficacy in oncology nursing research and practice.
OBJECTIVE
To discuss self-efficacy in oncology nursing research and practice in promoting health for people with cancer.


METHODS
Published articles, abstracts, and books; consultations.


RESULTS
Self-efficacy has much merit as a concept to guide oncology nursing research and practice related to health promotion. It has strong predictive capability in nononcology populations for determining the likelihood of individuals engaging in health-promotion behaviors. In oncology, it has been an effective determinant to predict disease prevention and early-detection behaviors and adaptation to cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-efficacy provides prescriptive specificity to guide clinical interventions to promote health in people with cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Exercise for people with cancer recently has been emphasized, and specific examples of cancer nursing research and practice using self-efficacy to increase participation in this health-promotion behavior have been suggested. Research that tests this concept further as a basis for health promotion in people with cancer is needed.
Haas
B K
BK
University of Texas at Austin, USA. bhaas@mail.gower.net
D015400:Clinical Nursing Research / Q000379:methods; D003071:Cognition; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods; D011582:Psychological Theory; D020377:Self Efficacy