Self-Efficacy, Depression, and Physical Distress in Males and Females With Cancer

AIMS: to examine the relationship between self-efficacy with depression and physical distressing symptoms in males and females with cancer. METHODS: a total of 41 males and 49 females with cancer completed the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), depression scale, from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-D), and the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI). RESULTS: correlations were found between depression and self-efficacy in males (r = -.501, P = .001) and females (r = -.588, P < .0005). The multivariate regression analysis revealed that education and depression could influence self-efficacy in male population. Urogenital versus breast cancer as well as depression seemed to influence females' self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: patients who had higher self-efficacy had lower depressive symptoms. Men with depressive symptoms and women with breast cancer and depression are more likely to have low self-efficacy than patients with other cancer types.