Article detail · 2016
Body Image of Women with Breast Cancer After Mastectomy: A Qualitative Research
Journal
JOURNAL OF BREAST HEALTHISSN 2149-1976
- Year
- 2016
- Type
- article
Data source split
- YÖKSİS YÖKSİS article record
- YÖKSİS venue JOURNAL OF BREAST HEALTH
- OpenAlex OpenAlex enrichment (abstract, citations, topics)
Abstract
OpenAlex · English
OBJECTIVE: To gain a holistic and deep understanding about how mastectomy effects the body image of women who have breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample of this qualitative descriptive study consisted of twenty patients who underwent mastectomy procedures. Semi-structured interviews were conducted during the second week after mastectomy. Each interview was transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: After the mastectomy, the findings related to the women's body image and their experiences were specified as four main themes and seven sub-themes. The main themes were: meaning of the breast, mastectomy and me, my body image and body image changes, and social life. Most of the participants in this study stated that the breast meant femininity, beauty, and motherhood. It was found that the meaning of mastectomy varied according to individuals. Women used quite negative statements about their appearances. The participants also said that they felt that half themselves was missing, as individuals and women. The women stated that they preferred clothes that hid their lack of breast. Some of the participants mentioned that relations with their husbands were not like before, and they abstained from social interaction. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that mastectomy as a surgical treatment for breast cancer may negatively affect a woman's body image and her self-image.
Topics
Citations
OpenAlex cited_by_count. Not a WoS or Scopus citation count; those sources have no separate column here.
236 citations
OpenAlex cited_by_count (cache / database)
17 publications in the local catalog that cite this work (OpenAlex reference match; not the full global list).
- The Effect of Quality of Life and Body Image ofMastectomy Among Breast Cancer Survivors 2018
- Lived experiences for supportive care needs of women with breast cancer-related lymphedema: A phenomenological study 2021
- Evaluation of Illness Perception of Women with Breast Cancer in Turkey 2019
- Evaluation of Illness Perception of Women with Breast Cancer in Turkey 2019
- Evaluation of Illness Perception of Women with Breast Cancer in Turkey 2019
- Comparison of Spinal Alignment and Mobility in Women With and Without Post Modified Radical Mastectomy Unilateral Lymphoedema 2019
- Posttreatment Experiences of Breast Cancer Survivors in Turkey: A Qualitative Study 2022
- Nothing is more important than my partner's health: Turkish men's perspectives on partner's appearance after mastectomy and alopecia 2017
- Experiences, difficulties and coping methods of female nurses caring for breast cancer surgery patients: A qualitative study 2024
- Women’s body image after mastectomy: A photovoice study 2025