Enhancing Self-Care and General Health in Women with Breast Cancer: The Impact of Quality-of-Life Therapy

Background: Breast cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers among women, not only affects physical health but also significantly impacts psychological well-being and self-care practices. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Quality-of-Life Therapy (QoLT) on self-care and mental health in women with breast cancer. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up was employed, involving a control group. The study population included breast cancer patients admitted to Shohadaye Kargar Hospital in Yazd from September ۲۰۲۳ to February ۲۰۲۴. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria such as female gender, age ۳۰–۶۰, breast cancer diagnosis, and undergoing hormone therapy, while exclusion criteria included smoking, severe illness, or psychiatric treatment. Thirty-one patients were purposively sampled and randomly assigned to an intervention group (N = ۱۵) receiving ۱۰ QoLT sessions over two months, or a control group (N = ۱۶) receiving routine care only. Data were collected using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-۲۸), Individualized Self-Care Scale (ICS), and a demographic form, and analyzed using SPSS-۲۱ and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Findings showed that QoLT significantly improved self-care (F = ۱۱.۰۶, effect size = ۶۱%) and mental health (F = ۲۵۵.۲, effect size = ۸۰%) (p < ۰.۰۰۱). These effects persisted at the two-month follow-up. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the effective impact of QoLT on self-care behavior and improvement in mental health among breast cancer patients. It is therefore recommended that QoLT be used as an adjunctive treatment alongside routine care for breast cancer patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Quality of Life ، Self-Care ، Mental Health ، Breast Cancer