The Relationship Between Body Image and Meaning of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer in Kerman, Iran

Abstract

We aimed to examine the relationship between body image and the meaning of life among women with breast cancer. The analytic sample included 142 women with breast cancer, and data were collected using a standardized questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. We used Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson test, Spearman and Mann–Whitney U test to determine the relationship between the research variables. We found an association between the mean score of body image and the mean score of the meaning of life. As the average score of body image increases, the score of the meaning of life increases (p < 0.05). Findings indicated that the body image score increases by increasing the score of the meaning of life and its dimensions, especially existential vacuum and acceptance of death. Future research and targeted treatments should consider the role of body image in shaping the meaning of life among women with breast cancer.

Keywords:

• Breast cancer
• body image
• meaning of life
• Iran

Acknowledgments

A special thank you to the study participants who spent time and took part in the survey and the Kerman University of Medical Sciences for supporting this work.

Declaration of interest

The authors have confirmed they have no potential conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.