Evaluation of Sleep Quality in Patients with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Evaluation of Sleep Quality in Patients with Breast Cancer This study aimed to characterize the socio-demographic and clinical profile of patients with breast cancer and to evaluate their quality of sleep. It is an exploratory-descriptive research with quantitative approach, developed in the Rio Grande do Norte League against Cancer, a reference center in the city of Natal-RN, in the period from January to March of 2011. The data collection instruments were: clinical and socio-demographic score sheet, The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Intervenient Factors Affecting Sleep Quality. The study included 52 women with a clinical diagnosis of breast cancer. They were between 51-60 years old (30.8%); married or in consensual union (46.2%); with household income of 1-2 minimum wages (84.6%); 57.8% had incomplete primary education; 73% were Catholic and 67.3% from the interior of the state. Clinically it was observed that the patients had diagnostic time not under 6 months (46.1%) and the treatment chosen was surgery (78.8%) or chemotherapy (44.2%). In addition, 59.6% presented changes in sleep quality. The chemotherapy or radiotherapy proved to be an intervenerto an unpleasant sleep (63%) due to pain symptoms (33.3%). Health professionals should understand the importance of sleep in the promotion of the quality of life for patients with breast cancer and act so as to track possible changes and look for interventionist measures.