The effect of peer group supportive program on quality of life in patients with breast cancer

The tragedy of being with breast cancer can generate many challenges in women. Patients seek for someone to compare their emotional and physical reactions. This study was conducted to study the impact of implementation of peer support group on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. This clinical trial was conducted on patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy and/or lumpectomy in surgical wards of the studied cities. The participants were trained in order to attend the study after they volunteered and their capacity was evaluated. The volunteer group started contacting the patients after the surgery and continued it during treatments and several months after completion of the treatments. Patients were placed in two case and control groups by simple random sampling, and the quality of life patients in both groups was measured during the treatment and after completion of treatment using standard tools of National Medical Center & Beckman Research Institute. The mean score for the physical dimension of life quality in case and control groups in Tehran had a significant difference during two stages. There was no significant difference between the mean score of physical dimension of life quality in the two groups during two stages in city of Isfahan, however, the mean score of mental dimension of life quality showed a significant difference in two groups in Tehran during the two stages. This mean was significant during the second stage in Isfahan. There was a significant difference between the social dimension of quality of life in both groups in Isfahan (P=0.001). The mean score of the social dimension of quality of life showed a significant difference in both groups in Tehran during two stages (P=000). There was a significant difference in both groups regarding the mean score of spiritual dimension of life quality in Tehran (P=000). The results showed that those who participated in this study enjoyed a higher life quality compared to those who did not. The test results indicated the significance of differences in both the case and control groups in Tehran, but they were not similar to findings obtained in Isfahan. This may be due to incomplete matching of the peer group members, and incapability of the volunteers to maintain an effective and constructive communication with the patients.