Journal of health research in community

Introduction and purpose: Despite the outstanding breakthroughs in medical sciences, breast cancer is still regarded as one of the most important diseases, worldwide. This condition is also the most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of death. The present study was conducted to compare public health, marital satisfaction and body image among breast cancer patients with breast evacuation and breast conservation and normal women in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: In this descriptive, analytical study, the statistical population consisted of female patients with breast cancer and normal women in Tehran, Iran. For each group (normal subjects and breast cancer patients with breast evacuation and conservation), 80 individuals were selected via available sampling from medical centers and specialized hospitals in Tehran, Iran during October 2012-December 2013. The study tools included questionnaires on public health, body image and marital satisfaction. For data analysis, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test were performed, using SPSS version 20.
Results: Overall, 40% of participants were within the age range of 40-45 years, 37% had high-school diplomas and 58% were housewives. The analysis of variance showed a significant difference between the mean scores of marital satisfaction, body image and public health among the groups (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, women with breast cancer were significantly different from normal subjects in terms of marital satisfaction, mental health and body image. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate psychological treatment courses for these patients in cancer treatment centers.