Mental adjustment to cancer and quality of life among women living with breast cancer in Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuworza Kugbey ◽  
Anna Meyer-Weitz ◽  
Kwaku Oppong Asante

Objective This study examined whether cancer-specific coping strategies have any significant influence on the quality of life of 205 women living with breast cancer in Ghana. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design, participants were administered questionnaires which measured their cancer-specific coping strategies and health-related quality of life. Results Correlation analysis showed that helplessness-hopelessness negatively correlated with physical wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, functional wellbeing, and breast cancer additional concerns. Anxious preoccupation negatively correlated with all the domains of quality of life, whereas fighting spirit was positively correlated with emotional and functional wellbeing. Cognitive avoidance was positively correlated with functional wellbeing, while fatalism was positively related with all the domains of quality of life. Regression analysis revealed that anxious preoccupation predicted significant decreases in all the domains of quality of life, while helplessness-hopelessness predicted significant decreases in emotional and functional wellbeing domains. However, cognitive avoidance predicted significant increase in the functional domain of quality of life. Conclusion These findings underscore the need for psychosocial support for breast cancer patients to adopt effective coping strategies to deal with their challenges in managing their illness.

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1063-1069
Author(s):  
Lilian Velasco ◽  
Lorena Gutiérrez Hermoso ◽  
Natasha Alcocer Castillejos ◽  
Paulina Quiroz Friedman ◽  
Cecilia Peñacoba ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 4469
Author(s):  
Edyta Ośmiałowska ◽  
Weronika Misiąg ◽  
Mariusz Chabowski ◽  
Beata Jankowska-Polańska

Introduction: Each year, around 16,500 women in Poland are diagnosed with breast cancer, the second most common cause of death in women. In Poland, nearly 70,000 women live with breast cancer diagnosed within the last 5 years. Quality of life (QoL) research is particularly important in cancer patients, as it provides knowledge on their psychological and physical health, as well as the environment in which the patients function, all of which is essential to implementing multidisciplinary care involving the best use of the appropriate methods. Carrying the burden of cancer is a major challenge for patients. The strategy that patients use to cope with breast cancer significantly affects their quality of life. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of coping strategies on the QoL in breast cancer patients. Material and Methods: The prospective study included a group of 202 women who had undergone surgical treatment for breast cancer at the Lower Silesian Cancer Center and who reported for follow-up appointments at the Oncology Clinic and the Surgical Oncology Clinic. For the study, we used the: EORTC QLQ-C30 cancer questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-BR23 module, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity, as well as the patients’ medical records, hospital records, and our own survey form. Results: The mean patient age was 53 years. Most patients had been diagnosed with cancer between one and two years before. In the women studied, there was a negative association between QoL and the choice of a destructive strategy for coping with cancer, and a positive one between QoL and a constructive coping strategy. Severe pain caused by the disease and its treatment significantly decreased the patients’ QoL in multiple domains. Conclusions: Patients choosing constructive strategies obtained higher QoL scores, while greater reliance on destructive coping strategies was associated with significantly worse QoL. In all functioning domains, higher levels of pain were associated with poorer QoL and more severe symptoms associated with the disease and its treatment.


2022 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 2216-19
Author(s):  
Mahwash Zulfiqar Khan ◽  
Nusrat Qamar ◽  
Shahbaz Ahmad ◽  
AbuBakar Siddique

Objective: To determine the impact of cancer on quality of life and depression among caregivers. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Anmol Hospital, Lahore, from Jul 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: Data collected from caregivers of female cancer patients by purposive sampling technique using Standardized Questionnaire of Caregiver Assistance Scale and emotional distress was assessed by the Profile of Mood States. Data were entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences for statistical analysis. Results: Among 110 participants (caregivers of female cancer patients) 28 (25.5%) were female while 82 (74.5%) were male caregivers. Patients other than breast cancer were 79 (71.8%), while breast cancer patients were 31 (28.2%). There was a significant association between caregiver health, quality of life and level of depression, one year ago, and at current with p-values= 0.001, 0.001 and 0.01 respectively. Conclusion: There was a negative impact on the health and quality of life of caregivers. Their health was better in the beginning but with time, their lives became more difficult.


2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 316-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Chulkova ◽  
Tatyana Semiglazova ◽  
Margarita Vagaytseva ◽  
Andrey Karitskiy ◽  
Yevgeniy Demin ◽  
...  

Psychological rehabilitation is an integral part of rehabilitation of a cancer patient. Psychological rehabilitation is aimed at a patient adaptation in the situation of the disease and improvement his quality of life. Understanding of an oncological disease is extreme and (or) crisis situation and monitoring dynamics of the psychological statement of a patient allows using differentiated approach in the provision of professional psychological assistance. The modified scale of self-esteem level of distress (IPOS) was used for screening of mental and emotional stress of cancer patients. There were selected groups of cancer patients who were most in need of professional psychological assistance. Results of a psychological study of one of these groups - breast cancer patients - are presented.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document