Spirituality–religious technique is an effective intervention for improvement coping strategy in women with breast cancer in Iran

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the world, which is a serious problem in many developing countries. The prevalence of cancer in the world can be anticipated to increase and double by ۲۰۲۰; this is a very important issue for health care and women (۱). In Iran, breast cancer is common among women representing ۲۲.۴% in ۱۰۰۰۰۰ women (۲). Cancer can have many negative psychological consequences such as depression, sexual relationship problems, problems with significant others especially husband and children, isolation, low self-esteem, anxiety, worry about future and health, hopelessness and helplessness, suicidal ideation, negative body image, and self-blaming, which affect their illness (۳). Therefore, coping with this disease is an important challenge for patients.Women with breast cancer have used varied strategies for coping with this disease according to their cultural, spiritual, and religious beliefs (۳). Spiritual and religious strategies can be identified in these patients including cognitive restructuring, emotional expression, acceptance of the disease and its condition, raised religious practice, meaning of life, family and social support, yoga and exercise, remembering, praying, and meditation (۴, ۵). In some countries, such as western societies, coping strategies used by women may differ from those of the developing countries (۶). For example, in developed countries, women are seeking family or social support, focusing on the cognitive problem solving and cognitive restructuring, which involve “cognitive escape-avoidance” and “behavioral escape-avoidance”. On the other hand, in the developing countries, women with religious beliefs consider cancer as something in God's hands, and believe that they have no control over cancer (۷).

کلیدواژه ها:

breast cancer