Quality of Life and Its Associated Factors Among Breast Cancer Women in Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, and advancements in detection and treatment have improved survival rates. Evaluating breast cancer patients' quality of life is essential for effective healthcare planning. This study aims to assess the level of quality of life and its associated factors, including sociodemographic, clinical, coping skills, and psychological factors among breast cancer women in Iraq.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 244 breast cancer women in The Medical City Teaching Oncology Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, from August 2023 to October 2023. QOL, coping skills, and psychological factors were assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group Core-30 (QLQ-C30), BRIEF COPE-28, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scale, respectively. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were also assessed. The associations between the association factors and quality of life were assessed using multiple linear regression.

The mean (SD) quality of life scores for global, functional, and symptom domains were (53.24 ± 16.80, 46.23 ± 25.16, and 53.82 ± 22.10), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant factors influencing global quality of life were age, marital status, disease duration, hormonal therapy, passive coping, and anxiety. Age, disease duration, passive coping, and anxiety were significant factors for the functional domain. The symptom domain was notably affected by menstrual status, mastectomy, passive coping, and depression.

These results provide crucial insights for developing targeted interventions to enhance the quality of life for breast cancer patients in Iraq.