Analysis of Self-esteem and Social Support in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among Indian women. The breast cancer patient death ratio is high worldwide. To study self-esteem and social support in breast cancer patients. It was a hospital-based one-time taken study performed at the radiotherapy Out Patients Department (OPD), Tertiary Care Hospital. A total of 144 participants were taken up for the study. The total number of modified radical mastectomy (MRM) patients was 133 and the remaining had breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Breast cancer patients were evaluated using a self-esteem measure and a perceived social support questionnaire. Using SPSS 16.0 all statistical analyses were carried out. The mean score for self-esteem and social support were 68.78 and 50.86. The mean age of patients was 44.38 years. Self-esteem was low in 31 patients with MRM while none of the patients with BCS had low self-esteem. Social support was low in 20 patients with MRM while none of the patients with BCS had low social support. A correlation was found between self-esteem and social support (0.49). Self-esteem and social support were found to be high in Indian breast cancer patients. As a result, they were typically well-educated, from joint families, and from rural areas. They were also psychosocially strong.