Effect of general self-efficacy on promoting health-related quality of life during recovery from radical prostatectomy: a 1-year prospective study

Background The decline of health-related quality-of-life (QOL) during the year after radical prostatectomy is severe. General self-efficacy (GSE) is an effective psychological factor for long-term regulation of patient behavior and emotions. GSE is expected to facilitate enhanced health-related quality of life. We evaluated changes in GSE and analyzed the relationship between GSE and prostate cancer-specific and general health-related QOL. Methods We conducted a longitudinal survey with 104 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and administered the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES), Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), and SF8 Health Survey (SF-8). ANCOVA was performed to compare EPIC and SF-8 between GSES high and low-medium groups. Results GSES scores increased significantly after 6 months. Regarding EPIC urinary summary scores, high GSES group was significantly higher than low-medium group at 1 month (mean score difference [MSD], 7.3; 95% CI 1.1–13.2, P = 0.016), 3 months (MSD, 6.8; 95% CI 0.7–12.8, P = 0.028), and 6 months (MSD, 6.3; 95% CI 0.9–11.7, P = 0.022). High GSES group had significantly higher SF-8 physical component summary score at 6 months (MSD, 3.2; 95% CI 1.4–5.0, P = 0.001), and significantly higher SF-8 mental component summary score at 1 month (MSD, 2.6; 95% CI 0.4–4.9, P = 0.022), 3 months (MSD, 2.7; 95% CI 0.8–4.6, P = 0.007), and 6 months (MSD, 2.8; 95% CI 1.0–4.6, P = 0.003). Conclusion This study suggests that high GSE was associated with better prostate cancer-specific and general health-related QOL after radical prostatectomy.