Secondary lymphedema of the arm, the perception of the disease,  self-efficacy and depression as determinants of quality of life  in patients with breast cancer

Svetlana Popović -Petrović; Aleksandra  Kovač; Nataša Kovač; Snežana  Tovilović; Ivana  Novakov; Dragana  Ćulibrk

doi:10.2298/VSP160613006P

Svetlana Popović -Petrović Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Rehabilitation Department, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia
Aleksandra Kovač Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Rehabilitation Department, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia
Nataša Kovač University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia
Snežana Tovilović University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, Serbia
Ivana Novakov Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Rehabilitation Department, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia
Dragana Ćulibrk Emergency Healthcare Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/VSP160613006P

Keywords: breast neoplasms;, women;, upper extremity;, lymphedema;, quality of life;, perception;, depression.

Abstract

Background/Aim. Secondary lymphedema of the arm is one of possible side-effects and complications of breast cancer and its treatment which can contribute and precipitate to a number of new psychosocial problems. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in quality of life of patients suffering from breast cancer, with arm lymphedema and those without lymphedema, and to determine the significance of the perception of the disease, depressive symptoms and self-efficacy contribution to overall quality of life. Methods. The research was designed as a cross-sectional study, which included 64 patients – 34 with arm lymphedema and 30 without lymphedema. Questionnaire FACT-B + 4 was applied to assess the quality of life, BIPQ for the perception of the disease, depression was measured by DASS-21 scale, while self-efficacy was tested by SGSE scale. T-test, Mann Whitney U Test, χ² test and hierarchical regression analysis were applied to data processing. Results. There was not any significant difference between the groups in the total score of quality of life (t = 0.469, p > 0.05), or in the individual subscales: physical well-being (t = 0.535, p > 0.05), social/family well-being (t = 1.43, p > 0.05), emotional well-being (t = 1.35, p > 0.05), functional well-being (z = -0.243, p > 0.05), breast cancer scale (t = -0.839, p > 0.05) and arm scale (t = -0.514, p >0.05), while the perception of the disease (β = -0.603, t = -5.958, p < 0.001) and depression (β = -0.411, t = - 4.101, p < 0.001) proved to be significant predictors of quality of life and explain 50.2% variance of overall quality of life. Conclusion. The results of our study indicate the importance of a comprehensive rehabilitation program, directed both at functional and psychosocial aspects.

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