Predictors of Illness Perception Among Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy

Breast cancer (BC) is identified as the most common type of cancer among women in the world. The illness perception is considered as an important and influential issue in cancer control. The present study aimed to determine the predictors of illness perception among women with BC undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 166 women with BC referring to private and public oncology centers in Tabriz using the convenience sampling method. Patients were assessed by demographic and disease characteristics questionnaire, brief illness perception questionnaire, social support questionnaire, cancer worry scale, international physical activity questionnaire-short form, and the EORTC-in-patsat32. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25, and ANOVA, independent t test, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient, and multivariate linear regression were applied for data analysis.

In the present study, the mean score (SD) of the illness perception was 48.86 (17.61) out of the achievable range of 0-80. The results indicated that concerns about the recurrence, cancer stage, and place of treatment were the most important predictors of illness perception.

It seems that the early detection of BC through screening can be effective in the perceptions of BC. It is recommended that similar studies be conducted in other countries and cultures and after completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy courses.