ABSTRACT
Background: Mastectomy can disturb body image of women, which can lead to anxiety, depression, low self-confidence, agoraphobia and low functionality. Knowing body image changes postoperatively can help these women cope with the problems better
Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to identify body image of women undergoing mastectomy and referring to clinics of Imam Khomeini and Imam Hossein Hospitals in Tehran
Method: 90 mastectomy women with at least a 21-day post this surgery participated in the study. They were between 30 - 55 with no other history of surgery and chronic or mental conditions. They attended to the clinics to continue their medical regimen before starting complementarytherapies in chiding chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A questionnaire validated by content validity was used to collect data on demographics, operation history and Characteristics body image
Results: Findings showed that the body image of most women [%44.4] within 1 - 3 months after mastectomy was in moderate range and, in %43.3 of women, it was in desirable range. Meanwhile, the opinion of most women [%40] about their appearance and fitness was moderate and about breast role was very desirable [%51.1]. Their opinion about sex relations in most cases [%31.1] was not desirable. Most women [%34.4] had desirable opinion about others' views in this regard and moderate opinion about familial relationships [%40]
Conclusion: In general, body image of most women in the study was between moderate and desirable range. Since the study was performed 1 - 3 months after surgery and the clients were at the recovery stage, the sense of victory over cancer at this period might make them have less attention to their appearance with moderate to desirable body image