Abstract

SILVA, Sónia; BETTENCOURT, Danielle; MOREIRA, Helena  and  CANAVARRO, Maria Cristina. Quality of life of women with breast cancer at different phases of the disease: the role of sociodemographic, clinical variables and coping strategies as factors of risk/protection. Rev. Port. Sau. Pub. [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.1, pp.64-76. ISSN 0870-9025.

Introduction: Although breast cancer may significantly compromise women's quality of life (QoL), especially during the initial phases of the disease, psychosocial variables may act as factors of risk or protection. This study aims to analyse and compare the QoL of women in different phases of breast cancer and to identify the role of sociodemographic and clinical variables as well as coping strategies on QoL. Method: The sample is composed of 55 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, 63 women undergoing chemotherapy, 85 breast cancer survivors and 160 women from the general population. They all answered the WHOQOL-Bref and the Brief COPE. Results: The results show that global and physical QoL is significantly impaired during treatment. Higher education and Active Cognitive Coping strategies are significantly associated with improved global and Psychological QoL, after diagnosis and during treatment. Avoidant coping relates to worse QoL in all phases of the disease. Conclusions: The results of this study contribute to a better knowledge of the impact of breast cancer on QoL, in different phases of the disease trajectory, as well as give important information about the factors of risk/protection. Thus, they are helpful in developing more effective psychological interventions, tailored to the particular needs of women.

Keywords : Breast cancer; Quality of life; Coping; Diagnosis; Treatment; Survival.

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