Comparison of psychological morbidity and perceived treatment outcome in women with breast cancer based on expected outcome of the mastectomy

Abstract

Aim In the present study, the psychological morbidity compared with perceived treatment outcomes based on expected outcome of the mastectomy in women with breast cancer. Methods In the current study, 300 female patients with breast cancer were studied before and after mastectomy using the General Expectancy Outcome Incongruence and General Health questionnaire-12. Results The finding yielded that there was significant difference between patients with the high and low expected outcome of the mastectomy based on the psychological morbidity and perceived outcome of surgery. Similarly there is significant difference between the age, level of education, occupational status based on the psychological morbidity and perceived outcome of surgery. There was significant difference between elderly and non-elderly women psychological morbidity. Conclusions Results show the higher level of expectation of the surgery outcome can be useful in establishing primary social adjustment but lead to underestimate the negative effects of surgery and may disturb psychological adjustment. Thus, high expectancy of outcome of treatment indirectly plays a significant role in increasing problems after mastectomy and can be affect on patients' psychological morbidity and perceived treatment outcomes.