Acceptance of illness by women with breast cancer

Despite great progress in the diagnostics and treatment, breast cancer still remains the most frequently diagnosed malignant cancer in women. The outcomes of cancer treatment depend, to a considerable extent, on the degree of acceptance of the illness. The objective of the study was determination of the level of acceptance of the disease among the examined women with breast cancer.

The study covered a group of 231 women who received treatment for breast cancer in the Rev. Bronislaw Markiewicz Subcarpathian Oncology Centre in Brzozow, south-eastern Poland, and conducted by the method of a diagnostic survey, using an author constructed questionnaire and the standard Acceptance of Illness Scale, adapted by Z. Juczyński. Statistical analyses were performed using the software IBM SPSS v. 21.0.0.1. The p values p≤0.05 were considered statistically significant.

The mean level of acceptance of the illness in the examined group of women was 26.53 (SD = 7.71; Me = 26). The largest number of respondents (50.6%) obtained scores within the range of 20-29, according to the AIS Scale. From among the adopted variables, the level of acceptance of the illness significantly varied according to age and occupational activity. However, no such differences were confirmed according to the place of residence, marital status, education level, or the type of occupation performed.

In the examined group of women, a mediocre level of acceptance of cancer was observed. The respondents' age and occupational situation exerted a significant effect on the level of acceptance of the illness. The results of the study should be considered as satisfactory because the number of women with a high level of acceptance of breast cancer was more than twice as high as those ones with a low acceptance of the disease.