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