Psychological Resilience and Associated Factors in Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Cancer remains one of the leading global health problems, with treatments that can compromise patients' quality of life.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of resilience in cancer patients and to analyze the influence of psychological and social factors on disease perception.

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between April and August 2023 including 61 cancer patients under treatment. Resilience was assessed with the RS-14, anxiety and depression with HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and family functioning with the Family Apgar (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve questionnaire). Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through structured questionnaires. Continuous variables were tested with Shapiro-Wilk and Levene's tests; descriptive statistics, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square were applied. Binary logistic regression examined resilience predictors, adjusting for confounders (BMI, employment status, surgery). Statistical significance was defined as p ⟨ 0.05. Participants were 50.8% women, aged 35-82 years. Cancer types included breast (18%), lung (29.5%), colon (9.8%), pancreas (11.5%), renal (1.6%), and others (29.5%). 11.5% had not received oncological treatment, while 93.4% underwent surgery. Most were non-smokers (82%) and retired (57.4%). Main comorbidities were respiratory (24.6%) and cardiovascular (23%). In surveys, 54.1% reported family members with cancer and 36.1% noted a lack of free time affected quality of life. Mean scores: resilience 69.3 (SD = 22.1), anxiety 10.3 (SD = 3.2), depression 11.6 (SD = 2.2), Apgar 17.1 (SD = 3.7). Logistic regression identified Apgar as the only significant predictor of resilience (OR = 0.294, 95% CI 0.113-0.761, p = 0.012), with higher family functioning linked to lower resilience. Model accuracy was 81.1% overall, 90.9% for resilient, and 65.0% for non-resilient patients.

Social, clinical, and family situations all have an impact on cancer patients' resilience. In order to maximize resilience and quality of life, family functioning appears as a contradictory component, indicating the necessity of psychological, family-centered, and interdisciplinary interventions.