Psychosocial functioning of women after mastectomy. Part I. Subjective assessment of selected aspects of life by women after mastectomy

Introduction
Mastectomy is a traumatic experience for a woman that may result in a series of negative emotional consequences with adverse effects on various areas of life. The ability to undertake actions aimed at fighting the disease, enjoying life and offered support are a condition for the improvement of functioning in various aspects of life. The aim of the study was the subjective assessment of selected aspects of life by women after mastectomy.

Material and methods
The study was carried out with a group of 52 Amazons, aged between 40 and 82, belonging to the Association of Women with Cancer Problems “The Amazon” in Tarnów and Brzesko. Author’s own survey questionnaire was used as a research tool in order to assess the respondents’ perception of family relations, social life, intimate life, physical attractiveness, current well-being compared to the period before the surgery. In order to conduct a statistical analysis, the χ2 test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used.

Results
The results of analysed data obtained in author’s own study demonstrate that the percentage of women perceiving their family and social relations after mastectomy in better/much better categories is significantly higher than the percentage of women perceiving the aforementioned aspects of life as worse (p < 0.05). No significant impact of the age when mastectomy was performed or time that passed from the surgery was demonstrated on the perception of individual aspects of life in better/much better and worse/much worse categories.

Conclusions
Cancer had positive impact on the improvement of family relations. Respondents’ membership in the Amazon club could be a condition for satisfactory social life. Age and time that passed from mastectomy didn’t significantly affect the assessment of respondents’ perception of selected aspects of life.