Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: Social Functioning

Abstract

Early cancer detection, the development of therapies, the increasing number of survivors and the greater importance given to psychosocial factors have contributed to give emphasis to the quality of life of cancer survivors. The purposes of this work were: 1) to identify the changes in their social functioning of the women diagnosed and treated of breast cancer at the School Hospital of the Faculdade de Medicina do Triângulo Mineiro; 2) to identify the sources of familial and social support and how the support is given; 3) to check how the women evaluate their quality of life, and their reasons for it. Fifty women, age 32 to 77, most of them with low school degree, with time of cancer diagnosis from less than one year until 11 years were interviewed. Most of the women reported no changes in their relationship, but some considered it better, and others worse. The treatment and its consequences were related to the decrease or absence of leisure activities, housework and other activities for some women. They reported familiar and social support, having shared the disease with the family and friends, although some of did not feel any better with it. The majority evaluated their quality of life as good. The patients who evaluated it negatively were generally older than 50, time of diagnosis was within two years, and had undergone radiotherapy. Although most of the survivors have evaluated positively their quality of life, there have been changes in their social functioning mostly due to psychosocial problems rather than to physical ones. A multidisciplinary team must get acquainted with these problems to promote better rehabilitation.