Factors affecting Body Image Change and Sexuality at Mastectomy Females

Abstract

Abstract: Mastectomy is the primary treatment of breast cancer in women. Scarce information is currently available on the factors affecting body image and sexuality at mastectomy females' reproductive age. Objective: to explore the factors affecting body image and sexuality at mastectomy females' reproductive age. Design: a descriptive design was used. Setting: Tanta university hospitals department of oncology (in and out-patient clinics). Subjects: a convenient sample of 78 women who had mastectomy. Tool: data was collected using the body image of mastectomy women scale. It consisted of 2 parts: 1: socioeconomic characteristics (age in years, marital status, residence, levels of education, occupation, monthly, income and religion), and clinical information (follow up schedule after surgery, type of surgery, and who decided the type of surgery), 2: The body image of mastectomy women scale (BIMWS) consists of 4 parts: women's emotion, women's body image change, women's self-consciousness, and women’s sexuality. Results: Socioeconomic factors (age in years, marital status, and monthly income) significantly affected the studied women's body image self-consciousness (p=0.028, p=0.003, & p=0.004 respectively). Residence significantly affected the studied women's sexuality (p=0,001). The type of surgery significantly affecting the studied women's emotion, body image change, and sexuality (p=0.001, p=0.001, & p=0.026 respectively). Conclusion: emotions, body image change, self consciousness and women's' sexuality after mastectomy significantly affected by the socioeconomic factors age, marital status, monthly income, residence and the type of surgery. Recommendations: Nurses should have a clear understanding of younger mastectomy females needs and develop care plans based on their socioeconomic and clinical conditions. Key words: Body image, Sexuality, Mastectomy, Reproductive age