Abstract
Introduction: Patients with oral cancer often face persistent physical and psychological challenges after surgery, which may hinder their engagement in care. Identifying the determinants of patient health engagement (PHE) is essential for guiding targeted, supportive care interventions throughout the treatment trajectory. This study aimed to examine key determinants of PHE among post-surgery oral cancer patients.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Postoperative patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Data were collected from medical records and structured questionnaires, including demographics, disease and treatment characteristics, communication ability, psychological distress, and PHE. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses (t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, chi-square test), and hierarchical regression were used to determine predictors of PHE.
Result: Among 109 participants (94.5% male; mean age = 57.1±8.7 years), the mean PHE score was 25.91±6.32. Most participants were in the adhesion (44.9%) or eudaimonic project (38.5%) stage. Significant differences in PHE were found across income and treatment stage. PHE was negatively correlated with symptom severity, psychological distress, and fear of cancer recurrence. Hierarchical regression revealed fear of recurrence as the strongest predictor (β = -0.56, p < .001), explaining 44.1% variance (R2 = 0.441, F = 8.55, p < .001).
Conclusion: Fear of recurrence is a key determinant of patient engagement in this population. Early screening and stage-specific psychosocial interventions are crucial for enhancing engagement and adherence. Integrating psychological support into multidisciplinary care may mitigate fear, foster self-management, and improve overall quality of life for patients with oral cancer.
Notes
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References:
Blatt, S., Krüger, M., Sagheb, K., Barth, M., Kämmerer, P. W., Al-Nawas, B., & Sagheb, K. (2022). Tumor recurrence and follow-up intervals in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(23), 7061. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11237061
Ghanaati, S., Udeabor, S. E., Winter, A., Sader, R., & Heselich, A. (2025). Cancer recurrence in operated primary oral squamous cell carcinoma patients seems to be independent of the currently available postoperative therapeutic approach: A retrospective clinical study. Current Oncology, 32(4), 208. https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32040208
Smith, A. B., Costa, D., Galica, J., Lebel, S., Tauber, N., van Helmondt, S. J., & Zachariae, R. (2020). Spotlight on the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI). Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 1257–1268. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S231577
Zhang, X., Yuan, M., Yue, Y., & Duan, X. (2025). Fear of cancer recurrence and coping strategies among patients with oral cancer: The impact on post-traumatic growth. BMC Psychology, 13(1), 162. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02499-1
Sigma Membership
Lambda Beta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Acute Care, Advancing Clinical Practice, Oral Cancer Patients, Mouth Neoplasms, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Postoperative Care, Cancer Patients, Cancer Patients--Psychosocial Factors, Patient Participation
Recommended Citation
Hsiao, Tao-Wen; Chen, Yu-Chi; Shun, Shiow-Ching; and Yang, Hui-Ying, "Determinants of Patient Health Engagement in Post-Surgery Oral Cancer Patients" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 96.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/96
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-29
Determinants of Patient Health Engagement in Post-Surgery Oral Cancer Patients
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Introduction: Patients with oral cancer often face persistent physical and psychological challenges after surgery, which may hinder their engagement in care. Identifying the determinants of patient health engagement (PHE) is essential for guiding targeted, supportive care interventions throughout the treatment trajectory. This study aimed to examine key determinants of PHE among post-surgery oral cancer patients.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Postoperative patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Data were collected from medical records and structured questionnaires, including demographics, disease and treatment characteristics, communication ability, psychological distress, and PHE. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses (t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, chi-square test), and hierarchical regression were used to determine predictors of PHE.
Result: Among 109 participants (94.5% male; mean age = 57.1±8.7 years), the mean PHE score was 25.91±6.32. Most participants were in the adhesion (44.9%) or eudaimonic project (38.5%) stage. Significant differences in PHE were found across income and treatment stage. PHE was negatively correlated with symptom severity, psychological distress, and fear of cancer recurrence. Hierarchical regression revealed fear of recurrence as the strongest predictor (β = -0.56, p < .001), explaining 44.1% variance (R2 = 0.441, F = 8.55, p < .001).
Conclusion: Fear of recurrence is a key determinant of patient engagement in this population. Early screening and stage-specific psychosocial interventions are crucial for enhancing engagement and adherence. Integrating psychological support into multidisciplinary care may mitigate fear, foster self-management, and improve overall quality of life for patients with oral cancer.
Description
Fear of recurrence is a key determinant of patient engagement in this population. Early screening and stage-specific psychosocial interventions are crucial for enhancing engagement and adherence. Integrating psychological support into multidisciplinary care may mitigate fear, foster self-management, and improve overall quality of life for patients with oral cancer.