To explore the effect of IKAP nursing intervention on the self-management of patients with gastric cancer, so as to improve the patient's disease management ability and healthy behaviors.In this retrospective study, a total of 124 patients with gastric cancer were included. The experimental group received the self-management intervention program for gastric cancer patients based on the IKAP model, and the control group only received routine nursing. The psychological status, quality of life, cancer-related symptoms, and self-management ability of the two groups were observed; moreover, multiple regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of self-management.The nursing intervention based on the IKAP model had obvious effects on patients with gastric cancer. The SUPPH score was improved significantly after nursing intervention in the experimental group, and the improvement was more significant as compared to control group (both P < 0.05). The quality of life was significantly improved in the experimental group as compared with control group. The incidence of partial cancer-related symptoms, such as infection, fatigue and recurrent peptic ulcer in the experimental group was significantly lower after nursing intervention as compared with control group (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the regression analysis showed that being single, divorced or separated, widowed, as well as self-management nursing intervention, and quality of life showed significant correlation with self-management behavior. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that psychological function (p = 0.003) and self-management nursing intervention (p < 0.0001) were the independent risk factors.Nursing intervention based on the IKAP model for patients with gastric cancer plays a positive role in improving the self-management ability of gastric cancer patients and improving their negative emotions.