Influence of lifestyle, depression, and marital intimacy on quality of life in breast cancer survivors

Purpose@#This study investigated lifestyle, depression, marital intimacy, and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer survivors, with the goal of identifying the impacts of these factors on QoL. @*Methods@#A sample of 146 breast cancer survivors was surveyed in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from March 20 to May 30, 2019, using self-report structured questionnaires at a hospital located in Jeonju, Korea. Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis. Participants agreed to complete a face-to-face interview, including administration of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21-Depression Scale, Marital Intimacy Scale, and Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer tool. @*Results@#QoL was positively correlated with lifestyle (r=.49, p<.001) and marital intimacy (r=.45, p<.001) and negatively correlated with depression (r=–.72, p<.001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that depression (β=–0.63, p<.001), marital intimacy (β=0.19, p=.001), and lifestyle (β=0.13, p=.031) had significant effects on the QoL of breast cancer survivors, accounting for 63.3% of variance in related QoL. @*Conclusion@#This study provides insights into how breast cancer survivors’ QoL was influenced by depression, marital intimacy, and lifestyle. To improve the QoL of breast cancer survivors, healthcare providers should consider developing strategies to decrease depression, to increase marital intimacy, and to improve lifestyle.

Factors Affecting Psychosocial Adjustment in Patients with Surgical Removal of Benign Breast Tumor

PURPOSE: To identify factors influencing psychosocial adjustment in patients with surgical removal of benign breast tumor. METHODS: With a survey design, data were collected using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self Report (PAIS-SR), Body Image Scale, Physical Discomfort Scale, and Family Support Scale with patients who had had surgical removal of a benign breast tumor from September to November 2017. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The mean scores for physical discomfort, body image, family support, and psychosocial adjustment were 1.57±0.51, 0.37±0.64, 3.62±0.67, and 4.00±0.45, respectively. Family support, body image, physical discomfort, number of surgical removal of benign breast tumor (twice), and cancer insurance status (yes) were verified as factors influencing psychosocial adjustment. These factors accounted for 57.4% of psychosocial adjustment. CONCLUSION: In this study, family support, body image, and physical discomfort were identified as significant predictors of psychosocial adjustment. Therefore, this study can be used as fundamental data to develop nursing intervention strategies in order to increase psychosocial adjustment in patients with surgical removal of a benign breast tumor.