Premium
Partner relationships after mastectomy in women not offered breast reconstruction
Author(s) -
Andrzejczak Ewa,
MarkockaMączka Krystyna,
Lewandowski Andrzej
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.3197
Subject(s) - mastectomy , feeling , happiness , breast cancer , quality of life (healthcare) , sex life , attractiveness , medicine , sexual intercourse , closeness , reconstructive surgery , psychology , gynecology , human sexuality , cancer , surgery , social psychology , nursing , gender studies , population , mathematical analysis , environmental health , mathematics , sociology , psychoanalysis
Backgroud The present study assessed the degree to which undergoing a mastectomy without reconstructive surgery negatively impacts the patient's psychological state. We focus on body image and self‐esteem as well as the influence of mastectomy on patient sex lives and partnership relations. Methods The participants were 60 women, either married or in a relationship, who had had a mastectomy because of breast cancer and no subsequent reconstructive surgery. A marital happiness questionnaire was used to evaluate the research problem. Results Surgery negatively impacted partnership relations for 33% of participants. In particular, 31% reported deterioration in attractiveness; 31%, a feeling of malaise; and 30%, that their partners perceived them as less attractive. Moreover, 80% in the youngest group reported that they covered their body during intimate contact, whereas 58% in the oldest age group reported the same behaviour. Deterioration in satisfaction with sex life and in the pleasure of sexual intercourse was indicated by 71% and 77%, respectively. Correspondingly, 71% also noticed a decrease in sexual activity, with 76% of participants aged 50–65 years reporting such a decline. The oldest women were also less satisfied with their sexual intercourse. Conclusions Breast excision due to cancer negatively impacted the quality of sexual life for 71% of participants. Partnership relations after surgery remained unchanged for 67% of them. There was significant impact of surgery on the perception of one's own body. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.