The Relationship Between Family Support and Self-Care Competence in Chemotherapy Patients

Cancer treatment often involves chemotherapy, which can have physical, psychological, and social impacts. Patients living with their families need strong family support. This study aims to investigate the relationship between family support and self-care competence among patients undergoing chemotherapy. This study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design. The population was chemotherapy patients at Jenderal Ahmad Yani Regional Hospital in Metro, Lampung Province, in 2025. The respondents were 99, and the sampling technique used was Simple Random Sampling. The results showed that 84% of the respondents had weak family support, while 68% of the patients were in the good self-care competence category. A Chi-square statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between family support and patient self-care competence. Patients with weak family support were six times more likely to develop poor self-care competence than those with strong family support. Multivariate analysis using multiple linear regression found that informational support was the most significantly related factor and most helpful for a patient's self-care competence. Family support is closely related to the self-care competence of chemotherapy patients. The Health Team should provide comprehensive education to patients and their families. This support should cover chemotherapy, home care, resources, and effective communication strategies to ensure patients feel supported throughout their treatment. Keywords: Chemotherapy, Family Support, Self-care.