Determination of cancer needs and quality of life of women with breast cancer in babylon

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer types in women all over the world. During the diagnosis and treatment stages, women with breast cancer face a wide variety of unmet needs that affect their quality of life. Aim: This study aimed to determine the cancer care needs and quality of life of women with breast cancer in Babil. Method: The study was conducted between 1 June 2022 and 1 September 2022 in the Oncology Unit of Imam Sadik Hospital and the Babylon Oncology Center. The sample of the study consisted of 160 women with breast cancer who met the sampling criteria. It is a cross-sectional and relational study. The data were collected with the sociodemographic and clinical characteristic form, the cancer need questions short form (CNQ-SF), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF). Results: The mean age of women was 51±13.13; 34.4% are primary school graduates, 90.6% are married, 80.6% have children, 76.3% are housewives, 94.4% are non-smokers, 55% have income equal to expenditure, 39.4% is the second stage. 61.3% of the women had less than one year of disease duration, 63.1% had no family history, and 65% did not use birth control pills. 36.9% had high blood pressure and 73.1% had a mastectomy. 99.4% received chemotherapy, 37.5% received radiotherapy and 30.6% received hormone therapy. The mean scores of the sub-dimensions of cancer needs form are; Physical needs 19.31±5.27, psychological needs 30.78±10.02, interpersonal communication needs 6.91±2.37, patient care and support needs 16.84±3.98, and Health information needs 24.23 It is ±6.92. The mean score of the sub-dimension of the quality of life scale; general quality of life 6.34±1.54; physical health 19.76±4.41, psychological health 17.74±3.96, social relations 9.31±2.28, environmental health 23.21±5.02. There is a statistically significant difference between the total score of the cancer needs scale and the sub-dimensions of the quality of life scale (physical health, social relations, environment, psychological health, and general quality of life) at the weak-moderate level (r= -0.298, -0.323, -0.368, -0.433, -0.473), respectively.Conclusions: The needs of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Iraq are moderate. It was determined that the quality of life of women with breast cancer in Iraq is moderate. It was determined that there was a negative weak-moderate relationship between the cancer needs of women with breast cancer and there and the quality of life sub-dimensions. Most of the women's needs were the need for health information, followed by the need for patient care and support.