Prediction of Medication Adherence Based on Dispositional Resilience, Ambiguity Tolerance and Perceived Social Support in Patients with Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. In recent years, the role of psychological factors in adherence to medication in patients with lung cancer has attracted more attention. This study aimed to investigate the prediction of medication adherence based on dispositional resilience, tolerance for ambiguity and perceived social support in patients with lung cancer in Yazd.

This descriptive-correlational study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. The statistical population consisted of all patients with lung cancer visiting Shahid Ramezan Zadeh Radiation Therapy Center in Yazd in 2020-2021, and 120 male patients were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-8), Dispositional Resilience Scale (HARDY), Ambiguity Tolerance Scale-I (MSTAT-I) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Then, they were analyzed in SPSS 23 using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression.

Results suggested a significant positive correlation between dispositional resilience and medication adherence (R=0/47), ambiguity tolerance and medication adherence (R=0/61), as well as perceived social support and medication adherence (R=0.68) (P<0/001). According to the results, the predictor variables generally explained 46.3% of the variance of medication adherence.

Based on the results, medication adherence in patients with lung cancer is predictable using dispositional resilience, ambiguity tolerance and perceived social support.