Abstract

MOREIRA, Helena; SILVA, Sónia  and  CANAVARRO, Cristina. Quality of life and psychosocial adjustment of women with breast cancer: from diagnosis to survival. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2008, vol.9, n.1, pp.165-184. ISSN 1645-0086.

The objective of this study is to know the Quality of Life (QoL) and psychosocial adjustment of the women with breast cancer who are in two different phases of the disease: the stage of diagnosis and the stage of survival. In this research participated 56 women with no history of cancer disease belonging to the general population, 32 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer and 58 breast cancer survivors. The instruments used were the WHOQOL-Bref, the HADS and a form of clinical and sociodemographic data. The recently diagnosed women were more anxious and exhibited the worst record in the general facet and physical domain of QoL. The majority of breast cancer survivors presented normative levels of anxiety and depression and a good QoL that does not distinguish from general population in any domain of it.

Keywords : Breast cancer; Quality of life; Psychosocial adjustment; Diagnosis; Survival.

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