Empowerment Needs of Women With Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background:Due to the increasing number of women suffering from breast cancer worldwide, promoting the empowerment of these patients is an important factor affecting their survival.Objectives:Few studies have investigated the empowerment needs of the breast cancer women, especially in Iran. Therefore, this study was performed to explain the empowerment needs of women with breast cancer in Iran.Patients and Methods:In this qualitative study, 19 women with breast cancer were interviewed regarding their empowerment needs using the individual open-ended and, in-depth interviews and then the qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis.Results:Three main categories of empowerment needs from the participants’ perspectives were as follows: 1- information: the initial empowerment plans (timely and comprehensive information, coordination and continuity of information, easy and full-time access to information), 2- beliefs: the approval of the empowerment plans for execution (actuality, trust and hope and new beliefs), and 3- skills: efficient execution of the empowerment plans (communication skills, expression the needs, emotions, questions and use of the internet).Conclusions:It seems that promoting the empowerment of women with breast cancer is essential. Factors found in this study and also in similar studies, in which empowerment needs are explained in-depth through the experiences of the patients, should be considered and used in the treatment, educational and counseling programs to promote the empowerment of women with breast cancer.

Self-Efficacy of People with Chronic Conditions: A Qualitative Directed Content Analysis

“…Relationships can be both facilitators and inhibitors of empowerment, and patients’ skills play an important role in managing these relationships [29]. That is similar to the findings of this study; patients limited their unhealthy relationships and expanded their healthy relationships and were satisfied with living with their family members.…”

Supportive Care Needs in Females With Breast Cancer Under Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy and its Predictors

“…Further, the needs of every patient should be followed to achieve good and efficient quality care (6) and assessing the needs of cancer patients should cover all important aspects of their life such as physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, as well as social functions (7). Previous studies regarding the needs of females with breast cancer referred to different cancer patients' requirements like high levels of educational needs and information, the need for psychological support to reduce the concerns of the patients and their family members about the progression or recurrence of the disease in addition to the need for sexual counseling and assistance with daily homework (8)(9)(10)(11). Addressing the unfulfilled needs of the cancer patients is essential since neglecting their needs during different stages of the treatment is associated with mental and psychological complications, physical loss, and a reduced quality of life in the individual, which can itself have a negative impact on the patients' health system due to the overuse of the healthcare services and increased costs (12).…”

Designing and Psychometric Evaluation of Adjustment to Illness Measurement Inventory for Iranian Women With Breast Cancer

“…Furthermore, as the breasts are counted for sexual arousal and are counted to attractiveness, important part of feminine identity and maternal role, facing a situation that may result in loosing breast may lead to disorders including loss of self-confidence, self-body image damage, alteration of marital relations, sexual enjoyment and depression ( 11 , 12 ). Reports from limited studies in Iran imply that women with breast cancer attempt to cope with the illness and treatment side-effects by various strategies ( 13 - 16 ). Some patients tend to share their painful experiences and intrusive thoughts with others, seek help from family and friends’ emotional supports or try to find the answers of their questions by asking healthcare providers about their illness to adopt to the illness; whereas, some of them resort to maladaptive responses such as anger, fear, sense of sin, isolation, and even denying the illness and seeking for treatment.…”