The Rescue of Self-Esteem and External Image in Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic and treatment of breast cancer usually has a devastating effect on a person’s life, because of the emotional, social and material losses. It all influence negatively in the self-esteem and self-image. In the breast surgery, conservative or not, even when it s accompanied by reconstruction, depending on the importance given by the women on her self- image and self-esteem, it may causes dissatisfaction, discontentment with the esthetic results, difficulties in the exposition of the body, feelings of worthlessness, shame and disgust, bringing as consequence the avoidance of social contact and sex, especially in women who did mastectomies. Furthermore, the functionality of the upper limb can be compromised and there are changes in the tactile sensation of the breast after the reconstruction. The development of body image is a multidimensional phenomenon involving physiological, psychological and social factors that affect the emotions, thoughts, and interpersonal relationships. Self-esteem is a set of feelings and thoughts of the individual over his own value, which is reflected in a positive or negative attitude. The promotion of the meeting with self-esteem by a laboratory with the Mastology Program of HC / UFG and Association of Breast Cancer Patients confirmed one of the objectives of the health team: (re)draw the self-image and self-esteem of patients. OBJECTIVES: : Rescuing self-esteem and external image in women with breast cancer and to compare their perception of the earlier moments of the event with the subsequent. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study realized in May 2012. The participants signed the authorization for use of images and testimonials; were photographed; received a kit-esteem and attended the lecture “My Experiences” by a journalist with the same pathology. They wore make up, encouraged to use props and to parade, posing for photographs and filming. In the end received a picture frame with photos of before and after. The socio-demographic data were collected in the register book and a questionnaire was applied with the questions: How did you realize your self-esteem and image on your arrival to the meeting? and after? RESULTS: The sample included 75 individuals with an average of 49.5 years old, from Goiania, mastectomy with reconstruction (40%). Data analysis on the previous perception is arranged in 5 categories associated with: feelings of depression (20. 9%), shame on image exposure (20. 2%), manifestations of anguish (20%), positive self-esteem and self-image (10.5%) and pain (10. 4%). Later into two categories: feelings of joy and better self-steem and external image (100%). DISCUSSION: Actions like this meeting despite not replacing interventional practices in the internal and deeper aspects, can be instrumentals for self-worth of these women. CONCLUSION: There were significant improvement in the perception of self-esteem and external image after the event.