Determination of Cancer Needs and Quality of Life of Women with Breast Cancer in Babylon

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to determine the cancer care needs and quality of life of women with breast cancer in Babylon.

Method: The study was conducted between 1 June 2022 and 1 September 2022 in the Oncology Unit of Imam Sadik Hospital and the Babylon Oncology Center. The sample of the study consisted of 160 women with breast cancer who met the sample criteria. It was a cross-sectional study. The data were collected with the sociodemographic and clinical characteristic form, the cancer need questions short form (CNQ-SF), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF).

Results: The mean age of women was 51±13.13; 34.4% were primary school graduates, 90.6% were married, 80.6% had children, 76.3% were housewives, 94.4% were non-smokers, 55% had income equal to expenditure, 39.4% is the second stage. 61.3% of the women had less than one year of disease duration, and 63.1% had no family history. The mean scores of the sub-dimensions of cancer needs form were; Physical needs 19.31±5.27, psychological needs 30.78±10.02, interpersonal communication needs 6.91±2.37, patient care and support needs 16.84±3.98, and Health information needs 24.23 It is ±6.92. The mean score of the sub-dimension of the quality of life scale; general quality of life 6.34±1.54; physical health 19.76±4.41, psychological health 17.74±3.96, social relations 9.31±2.28, environmental health 23.21±5.02. There was a statistically significant difference between the total score of cancer needs scale and the sub-dimensions of the quality of life scale (physical health, social relations, environment, psychological health, and general quality of life) at the weak-moderate level (r= -0.298, -0.323, -0.368, -0.433, -0.473), respectively.

Conclusions: Women diagnosed with breast cancer in Babylon, Iraq, experience moderate levels of needs and quality of life Their most prompted concern was access to health information..