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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2017; 38(02): 146-152
DOI: 10.4103/ijmpo.ijmpo_74_16
Original Article

Stigma Perceived by Women Following Surgery for Breast Cancer

Lopamudra Tripathi
Department of Palliative Care and Psycho-oncology, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
,
Soumitra Shankar Datta
Department of Palliative Care and Psycho-oncology, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India; Institute for Women's Health, University College, London, United Kingdom
,
Sanjit Kumar Agrawal
Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
,
Sanjoy Chatterjee
Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
,
Rosina Ahmed
Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
› Author Affiliations Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
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Abstract

Context: Women undergoing treatment for breast cancer often have psychological morbidity and body image difficulties. The risk factors for increased levels of stigma in women with breast cancer have not been adequately studied. Aims: This study aimed at investigating the associations of high levels of stigma in women with breast cancer. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a comprehensive cancer center in India and recruited women (n = 134) undergoing surgical treatment for breast cancer. Methods: Body image difficulties, including stigma and affective symptoms, were quantified, alongside disease- and treatment-related variables using standardized questionnaires. Statistical Analysis Used: Univariate analysis followed by multivariate logistic regression was performed to find the risk factors of high levels of stigma related to body image. Results: In the univariate analysis, high levels of stigma were associated with lesser educational attainment (odds ratio [OR] =2.92, confidence interval [CI] 1.25–6.8, P = 0.01), breast conservation surgery (BCS) as opposed to mastectomy (OR = 4.78, CI 2.07–11.03, P < 0.001), having an anxiety disorder (OR = 2.4, CI 1.09–5.33, P = 0.03), and depression (OR = 3.08, CI 1.37–6.89, P < 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression, with stigma as the dependent variable, being less educated (adjusted OR [AOR] 3.08, CI 1.18–8.04, P = 0.02) and opting for BCS (AOR 6.12, CI 2.41–15.5, P < 0.001) were associated with higher stigma. Conclusions: Women with breast cancer should be screened for distress and stigma. Women opting for BCS may still have unmet emotional needs on completion of surgery and should have access to psychological interventions to address stigma, affective symptoms, and body image problems.

Keywords

Body image - breast cancer - cancer - depression - oncology - stigma


Publication History

Article published online:
06 July 2021

© 2017. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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