Acceptance of illness and its relationship with quality of life in women after mastectomy
D. Schneider-Matyka, K. Rachubińska, J. Kopeć, M. Stanisławska, K. Augustyniuk, E. Grochans, A. CybulskaIntroduction
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. Mastectomy, while often life-saving, significantly affects physical, emotional, and social functioning. Acceptance of illness is recognized as a key psychological resource that may facilitate adaptation, reduce symptom burden, and improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Objectives
To assess the relationship between the level of disease acceptance and quality of life in women after mastectomy, with consideration of sociodemographic determinants of acceptance.
Methods
A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in 2024 among 125 women after mastectomy at the West Pomeranian Oncology Center and the Amazon Association “AGATA” in Szczecin, Poland. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Spearman’s correlations, with significance set at p<0.05.
Results
The mean AIS score was 28.8 (SD=7.05). Higher acceptance was significantly associated with better global quality of life and improved physical, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning (all p<0.001). It was negatively correlated with fatigue, pain, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, and financial difficulties. In the breast cancer-specific module, greater acceptance was linked to a more positive body image, higher sexual enjoyment, and a better future perspective, and negatively correlated with systemic therapy side effects, breast and arm symptoms, and distress related to hair loss. Sociodemographic determinants of higher acceptance included higher education (p=0.002), better financial status (p=0.019), and being professionally active or retired compared with pensioners (p=0.024). Age, marital status, and living arrangement showed no significant associations.
Conclusions
Acceptance of illness significantly improves the quality of life in women after mastectomy, enhancing multiple domains of functioning while reducing the severity of treatment-related symptoms. Its level is influenced by sociodemographic factors such as education, financial situation, and employment status.These findings highlight important practical implications: interventions aimed at strengthening disease acceptance and addressing social determinants should be integrated into psycho-oncological care and rehabilitation to support adaptation, reduce symptom burden, and improve long-term well-being in breast cancer survivors.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared