Psychosocial Problems of Breast Cancer and Its Effects on Women's Mental Health in Nigeria: A Qualitative Study of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State

Abstract

Breast Cancer is a physical disease and also one of the leading clinical manifestations where psychosocial problems are prevalent. Psychosocial problems that these patients may have in the long run include anxiety, sleep disorders, mental and cognitive reservation, sexual dysfunction, and psychological distress. Psychosocial problems have a nature of underpinning the emergence of psychological troubles. Women diagnosed with breast cancer face challenges that interfere with their entire life. A qualitative descriptive design was used to recruit twelve participants through purposive and snowball sampling methods to conduct interviews with the participants. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Three themes emerged from the data; physical effects of breast cancer, effects of treatment on body image, and emotional effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The negative effects of treatment incapacitated most of the women and limited their daily activities and entire life. Most participants felt they looked unattractive because they have had hair loss through chemotherapy. Almost all the participants cried, felt depressed, when they were told their diagnosis. It was concluded that women diagnosed with breast cancer require psychological interventions and physical support from healthcare personnel and their families.