Socio-Epidemiological Points of View Regarding Quality Of Life in Patients With and Without Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy for Cancer

Autori:

Ioannis GARDIKIOTIS, Doina AZOICAI, Codrin DOBREANU, Ina PETRESCU, Andrei LAZAR, Alina MANOLE, Nicolae GHETU

Cod: ISSN: 1583-3410 (print), ISSN: 1584-5397 (electronic)
Dimensiuni: pp. 92-104

How to cite this article:

Gardikiotis, I., Azoicai, D., Dobreanu, C., Petrescu, I., Lazar, A., Manole, A., Ghetu, N. (2016). Socio-Epidemiological Points of View Regarding Quality Of Life in Patients With and Without Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy for Cancer. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 52, 92-104.

Abstract:

The purpose of the study is to compare the quality of life (QoL) of mastectomised patients for cancer, who subsequently chose or not breast reconstruction, using the Short Form - 36 (SF-36) Health Survey. The study was carried out during October 2014 - May 2015, on two groups: 23 patients with breast reconstruction, assisted at the University Hospital of Bucharest, compared with 27 patients without reconstruction, assisted in surgical sections of hospitals from the Northern- East area of Romania. The average age of the reconstructed patients was 57.07, compared to 43.91 for those without reconstruction. We referred to the scales related on social, mental and emotional functionality of patients, comparing the two studied groups. The correlations calculated for the scores achieved from patients at the discussed items showed a strong connection between the answers on the question if they performed less activities than having intended and the decrease of the time period of working or performing other activities due to emotional problems, both for the group of women without reconstruction (r .768), as well as for the breast reconstructed group (r .740). The scores indicating QoL were higher for the scales related to the social functionality and mental health, for the patients with reconstruction, compared to those achieved by the patients without breast reconstruction. Studies on larger groups would be useful for emphasizing the differences between the QoL of women living the same reality, the mastectomy for breast cancer and who chose breast reconstruction, compared to those who did not.