The Impact of Physical Symptoms on Depression and Quality of Life in Patients with Lung Cancer: The Moderating Effects of Illness Perceptions and Gender

Background Physical symptoms negatively affect lung cancer patients’ emotional well-being and quality of life. It remains understudied about what psychosocial factors may buffer the negative impact of physical symptoms. This study examines how illness perceptions moderate the impact of physical symptoms on depression and quality of life, and further considers gender differences. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. 316 lung cancer patients completed questionnaires measuring physical symptoms, depression, quality of life, and illness perceptions. Results Hierarchical regression analyses reveal significant two-way interactions between physical symptoms and perception of illness timeline on both depression and quality of life. Furthermore, we found significant three-way interactions among physical symptoms, illness perceptions, and gender. Simple slope analyses indicated that positive illness perceptions alleviated the negative effects of physical symptoms on depression and quality of life, particularly in females. Conclusions Therefore, it is essential to tailor the intervention to address the distinct psychosocial needs of male and female patients to enhance the intervention's effectiveness.