Mediating Effect of Illness Perception on Psychological Distress in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Gastric Cancer: Based on the Common-Sense Model of Self-regulation.

The design measured variables at one time point, so it cannot show that illness perception caused distress or that patient education changed distress. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from a single university hospital in Seoul, so the results may not apply to other settings or cancer types. Satisfaction with patient education was measured with one question that was not validated, so that part of the result is weak. Data were collected on the day before surgery, after admission, when patients may already have been anxious about surgery. The social support measure focused on emotional support and did not fully capture practical or information support. The study included only adults with EGC who were aware of their diagnosis and excluded concurrent cancers, so it does not describe patients who did not know their diagnosis or had other cancers.

Do not conclude that changing illness perception, symptoms, social support, or patient education will reduce distress. This was a cross-sectional survey, and the mediation model shows associations, not cause. The patient education measure was a single unvalidated question.