Decision-making experiences related to mastectomy: A descriptive qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Qualitative Health Research
• Oncology Patient Experience
• Surgical Decision-Making

Background:

• Mastectomy is a common treatment for breast cancer, significantly impacting women's lives.
• Understanding women's decision-making processes is crucial for providing effective psychosocial support.
• Limited research exists on the specific decision-making experiences of Chinese women undergoing mastectomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and understand the in-depth decision-making experiences of Chinese women regarding mastectomy.
• To identify factors influencing these decisions within a specific cultural context.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive qualitative interview study design.
• 27 Chinese women undergoing mastectomy participated in face-to-face, semi-structured interviews.
• Inductive content analysis was used to analyze interview data conducted in Mandarin.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged: emotions, information seeking, beliefs about mastectomy and the breast, participation, influencing individuals, and post-decision reflection.
• Participants' mean age was 48 years; most had lower education and income, were partnered, insured, diagnosed with early-stage cancer, and had not had reconstructive surgery.
• Nurses were not mentioned by participants as influencing the mastectomy decision-making process.

Conclusions:

• This study provides unique insights into mastectomy decision-making from a Chinese perspective, addressing a gap in existing literature.
• Findings are valuable for nurses and multidisciplinary teams to enhance support for breast cancer patients.
• Recommendations include further cross-cultural studies and potential interventions informed by these findings.