Impact of Body Image on Depression and Quality of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore body image, physical attractiveness, and femininity among survivors of breast cancer and to examine the effects of the aforementioned variables on depression and quality of life. The participants comprised 70 female survivors of breast cancer, ages between 23 and 79 years. They completed a questionnaire that includes Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, and European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire—Breast Cancer, measuring depression, quality of life, and body image, respectively. On the depression scale, 56% of the participants had scores higher than 16; a score of 16 and above identifies participants with potential depression. Majority of women felt less attractive and less feminine. Low body image, attractiveness, and femininity positively correlated with depression and negatively with overall quality of life. The authors conclude that multidisciplinary health care services relevant to physical attractiveness and femininity of survivors of breast cancer may foster positive body image perceptions, reduced depression, and increased quality of life.

KEYWORDS:

• breast cancer
• body image
• femininity
• depression
• quality of life

Acknowledgments

The participants were compensated using start-up funds for tenure tract faculty at Cleveland State University. Principal investigator, Ana Begovic-Juhant, had full access to all the data in the study and takes full responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.