Perceived Participation in Decision-Making on Primary Surgery and Associated Factors Among Early Breast Cancer Patients

Background Breast cancer patients wish to participate in the treatment decision-making, but the perceived participation was inconsistent with the willingness, leading to poor patient outcomes. Objective The aims of this study were to explore the perceived participation in the primary surgery decision-making among Chinese patients with early-stage breast cancer (BCa) and to analyze the relationships of demographic and clinical factors, participation competence, self-efficacy, social support, and doctors’ promotion of participation with the guidance of the capability, opportunity, motivation-behavior system (the COM-B system). Methods Paper surveys were used to collect data from 218 participants. The participation competence, self-efficacy, social support, and the doctor facilitation of involvement were evaluated to measure factors related to perceived participation among early-stage BCa. Results Perceived participation was low, and participants with a high level of participation competence, self-efficacy, and social support and who were employed and had a higher education level and higher family income perceived higher participation in primary surgery decision-making. Conclusions Perceived participation was low and may be facilitated by patients’ internal and external factors during the decision-making process. Health professionals should be aware that patient participation in decision-making is a type of self-care health behavior, and targeted decision support interventions should be provided to facilitate participation. Implications for Practice Patient-perceived participation may be evaluated from the perspective of self-care management behaviors among BCa patients. Nurse practitioners should emphasize their important roles in providing information, patient education, and psychological support to better contribute to the course of the treatment decision-making process for BCa patients who faced primary surgery.