Co-morbid psychological distress in breast and cervix cancer patients

Pages: 398-401
Anubhuti Dubey (Department of Psychology, DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh)

The diagnosis of breast or cervix cancer and its subsequent treatment has significant bearing on the woman’s physical functioning, mental health and well being and thereby causes considerable commotion to quality of life (QOL). Hence, the present investigation aimed to reveal psychological distress and its impact on quality of life and sexual and physical adjustment with the ailment. In this cross-sectional study 108 women subjects with breast (n=54) or cervix cancer (n=54), on radio or chemo or combination therapy and 100 healthy women (control group) had rated themselves on DASS for psychological distress, physical appearance and sexual functioning related stress and quality of life. No significant differences in anxiety, depression and stress emerged in between breast and cervical cancer patients. However, when it comes to physical appearance and sexual functioning, the breast cancer patients were more concerned than cervical cancer patients. Both the breast and cervical survivors were found to be more distressed than healthy group of women. It can be concluded that cancer related to sexual sites in women develops the psychological distress with physical hitches and affect the quality of life.