To explore the factors related to surgical decision conflict and decision satisfaction of breast cancer patients.

This retrospective study enrolled 121 patients with breast cancer in the Breast Tumor Center of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from June to December 2018 and analyzed their general data (including age, marital status, education, number of children, occupational status, family income and religious belief), decision conflict and decision satisfaction. The analysis of variance and linear regression were used to analyze the factors concerning to decision conflict and decision satisfaction.

(1) Totally 117 patients had complete general information, decision conflict, and decision satisfaction scores. The recovery rate of valid questionnaires was 96.7% (117/121). The decision conflict score of 117 patients was 2.68 ± 2.55, and the satisfaction score was 4.03 ± 2.73. (2) The comparison of decision conflict scores among breast cancer patients with different characteristics showed that marital status was related to decision conflict scores (F=3.778, P=0.013). Multivariate analysis showed that patients’ marital status and religious belief were related to their decision conflict scores. Married, divorced or widowed patients had a significantly lower decision conflict score compared with unmarried patients (B=-2.794, 95%CI: -4.837--0.750, t=-2.709, P=0.008; B=-4.189, 95%CI: -6.823--1.546, t=-3.140, P=0.002). The decision conflict score of patients without religious belief was significantly lower than that of patients with religious belief (B=-1.482, 95%CI: -2.776--0.189, t=-2.271, P=0.025). (3) The comparison of decision satisfaction among breast cancer patients with different clinical characteristics showed that marital status and family income were related to decision satisfaction scores (F=2.736, 5.339, P=0.047, 0.006). Multivariate analysis shows that marital status and religious belief status were related to decision satisfaction scores. Divorced or widowed patients had a significantly lower decision satisfaction score compared with unmarried patients, and the patients without religious belief had a significantly lower decision satisfaction score compared with those with religious belief (B=-3.905, 95%CI: -6.749--1.061, t=-2.721, P=0.008; B=-1.793, 95%CI: -3.185- -0.401, t=-2.553, P=0.012).

Unmarried patients and patients with religious belief are more likely to have decision conflict and lower decision satisfaction. In clinical practice, we should pay more attention to these patients and give decision aids, so as to reduce decision conflict and increase decision satisfaction.