Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of the respiratory rehabilitation program on perceived
self-efficacy and dyspnea in patients with lung cancer.
Methods: This is a quasi-experimental research study with a two-group repeated measures design with
the pretest and post-test at Week 4 and Week 8. The theory of self-efficacy by Bandura was used as the
conceptual framework. The sample consisted of patients with nonesmall-cell lung cancer Stage 4 who
visited the oncology clinic in a university hospital. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled and equally
allocated to the control group and experimental group. The control group received routine nursing care
only, whereas the experimental group received the respiratory rehabilitation program. The program
comprised dyspnea educating, breathing exercise, using handheld fans, effective coughing, respiratory
strengthening training, and follow-up by phone in the third and sixth week. Data for perceived self efficacy
and dyspnea were collected before the program start and reassessment in the fourth and
eighth week. Instrumentation was composed of the respiratory rehabilitation program, demographic
data, perceived self-efficacy assessment for respiratory rehabilitation, and the Cancer Dyspnea Scale.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-factor repeated measures analysis of variance
and by comparing means between groups.
Results: The result revealed that almost all of the patients in the sample were men, and the mean age of
the experimental group and control group was 65.80 years (standard deviation = 8.80) and 73.00 years
(standard deviation = 7.60), respectively. There was significant different in the mean score of perceived
self-efficacy and dyspnea between the experimental group and the control group (p < .050).
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, the respiratory rehabilitation program should be used to
promote self-efficacy and relieve dyspnea in patients with lung cancer.