1Ph. D. Scholar, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
2Professor, Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
3Professor and Head, Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
4Professor, Department of Surgery, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
5Associate Professor, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
6Professor, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
*Corresponding author: Dr. Mamatha Shivananda Pai Professor and Head, Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India.-576104, Mobile: +91-9448623789, Fax: +91-820-2922572, Email: mamatha.spai@manipal.edu
Online published on 18 July, 2017.
The aim of the study was to examine the impact of cancer diagnosis on the psychological status of women with breast cancer, focusing on anxiety and psychological distress experienced by breast cancer patients.
A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 breast cancer patients after an initial cancer diagnosis by using purposive sampling. The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India. Data was collected by using Demographic and Clinical proforma, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Impact of Event Scale. Sample characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the influence of anxiety on psychological distress was tested with correlation and a chi-square test was used to test the association between anxiety and distress with demographic and disease-related variables.
The sample consisted of 80 women with a mean age of 48.1 years. 96% were married, and 90% of them were housewives. Half of the subjects were educatedupto primary school. 80% were in stage II of cancer with a duration of diagnosis of 2–4 weeks.48% of the subjects were suffering from a moderate range of distress and 16% had severe psychological distress. Similarly, 80% of subjects had moderate to high level of anxiety. Anxiety did not have any influence on psychological distress. And only duration of diagnosis was associated with psychological distress.
Results of the study suggest that cancer diagnosis can cause moderate to severe distress in breast cancer patients. Recognizing distress and intervening it on time is pivotal to improve treatment outcomes of women with breast cancer.
Anxiety, cancer diagnosis, psychological distress, quality of life
