[Characteristics and related factors of illness perception in Chinese cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the illness perception of cancer patients as well as the difference of illness perception between cancer patients and diabetics so as to help them to derive meaning from illness experiences and facilitate posttraumatic growth.


METHODS
A sample of 210 Chinese cancer patients and 71 diabetics was recruited from the same hospital and CIPQ-R completed.


RESULTS
Cancer patients had higher consequences [F (1, 275) = 23.32, P < 0.001(2) = 0.08] and emotional representation [F (1, 275) = 25.95, P < 0.001(2) = 0.09]; as well as less perceived controls over illness as compared with diabetics. Among the cancer patients, those with a better understanding about the meaning of illness tended to report more positive changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Illness perception is one of the important cognitive components affecting posttraumatic growth of cancer patients. Helping patients to derive meaning from their illness experiences facilitates the posttraumatic growth after cancer diagnosis.
Department of Radiation Oncology; First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical College, Hefei 230022, China.
Li
L
Shen
Lei
L
Zhang
Kai
K
Wang
Zhao-Lun
ZL
Cao
Chun-Yan
CY
Zhu
Juan
J
Liu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult