Abstract:
The objective of this retrospective descriptive predictive research were to study time to first hospital visit among persons with breast cancer and identify its predictive factors. The sample consisted of 110 new breast cancer persons at every stage of the disease, who sought treatment at the outpatient department of surgery, breast clinic, radiotherapy and chemotherapy from 2 tertiary hospitals, 41 from Queen Sirikit Hospital and 69 from Chonburi Cancer Hospital, resulting in 110 subjects. Data were collected using 5 questionnaires: 1) demographic data form, 2) time to first hospital visit form, 3) knowledge about breast cancer disease, 4) fear of diagnosis and treatment questionnaire, 5) social support. The questionnaires were tested for content validity by 5 experts. Their CVIs were 1.00, 1.00, .83, .92, and .78 respectively. Their Cronbachs alpha coefficients were .88 and .81 respectively. Knowledge about breast cancer disease had KR-20 at .70. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. Findings: The finding revealed that 1) the average time to first hospital visit among persons with breast cancer was 119.45 days, 2) two variables were significant predictors of time to first hospital visit among persons with breast cancer at level .05. They were knowledge about breast cancer disease (Beta=-.447) and social support (Beta=-.236). The could explain 24.7% of time to first hospital visit among persons with breast cancer (p<.05). However, age, economic status and fear of diagnosis and treatment could not predict time to first hospital visit among persons with breast cancer.