Level of acceptance and mental adjustment to illness in women treated for breast cancer

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Marzena Kaźmierczak

4 (57) 2018 s. 444–451
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.20883/ppnoz.2018.65

Fraza do cytowania: Kaźmierczak M. Level of acceptance and mental adjustment to illness in women treated for breast cancer. Polski Przegląd Nauk o Zdrowiu. 2018;4(57):444–451. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20883/ppnoz.2018.65

Introduction. Adjustment to disease is crucial for the treatment process, and acceptance of illness constitutes its determinant. Aim of the study. Assessment of acceptance and mental adjustment to illness in women treated for breast cancer and determination of independent variables determining its level. Material and methods. The study was carried out upon acceptance of the Bioethics Committee and involved 100 women hospitalized for breast cancer. Research tools used were: survey questionnaire of own design, Acceptance of Illness Scale, Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale. Results. Mean AIS score in the study population was 28.2. The most common strategy for coping with cancer was “fighting spirit”. No correlations were found between the level of illness acceptance and the following variables: age (p = 0.9458), educational attainment (p = 0.9163), place of residence (p = 0.5555), professional activity (p = 0.5445), marital status (p = 0.3819) and material situation (p = 0.3819). Instrumental support received and (p = 0.9033) type of breast cancer diagnosis (benign, malignant) did not determine acceptance of illness (p = 0.1671). The level of illness acceptance decreased with the intensification of the “anxious preoccupation” and “helplessness/hopelessness” strategies (p < 0.01 for both) and significantly determined the intimate life of the study population (p = 0.02). Conclusions. The study population demonstrated a high level of acceptance of illness, which was significantly determined by strategies of “anxious preoccupation” and “helplessness/hopelessness”. The highest mean AIS score was obtained by women whose breast cancer did not affect their intimate relationship with partners. Sociodemographic variables, instrumental support received and type of cancer diagnosis did not determine illness acceptance in the study population.

Key words: acceptance of illness, disease coping strategies, breast cancer.



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