A cross-sectional study on illness perception and resiliency among cancer patients, in Bhaktapur cancer hospital

Cancer, characterized by uncontrollable abnormal cell growth, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the WHO, cancer accounted for nearly 1 in 6 deaths in 2020. Most research has focused on the physical well-being and quality of life of cancer patients. However, with increasing emphasis on psychological aspects, particularly illness perception and resilience, a cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted to assess the impact of illness perception on the resiliency of cancer patients. This correlational quantitative study used convenient non-probability sampling at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, a national-level cancer center, enrolling a total of 170 participants. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-B) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10) were used to assess illness perception and resiliency, respectively. More than half of the respondents (57.6%) reported experiencing a high level of perceived threat from their illness. While 75.9% of participants showed low level of resilience. A significant modest negative correlation was found between illness perception (BIPQ) and resilience (CDRISC) (-0.177,p < 0.05). No significant differences in resilience or illness perception were found based on gender or socioeconomic status. However, a significant difference in resilience was observed based on educational background (p = 0.033), while illness perception did not vary significantly with education. These findings suggest that addressing illness perception through targeted psychoeducation and supportive therapeutic approaches may enhance resilience among cancer patients and improve their quality of life.