Iranian Muslim women's adaptation after mastectomy

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Women with breast cancer need to adapt all aspects of their life following their diagnosis. Aim: To investigate how women with breast cancer make adaptations in their lives to cope with the condition. Methods: A directed content analysis was used for this study and 23 participants were interviewed. The participants included women undergoing a mastectomy and their husbands, oncologists, oncology ward nurses and psychologists. Questions were asked regarding the participants' experiences of their adaptation to a mastectomy and cancer. Results: Data analysis led to the emergence of four dimensions; the physical dimension, self-concept, role-playing and interdependence. These four dimensions consisted of 21 main categories, 59 subcategories and 111 codes. Conclusion: The present study showed that despite the emergence of different coping approaches, women undergoing mastectomy have had various physical and mental problems that lead to role disruption. It is recommended that solutions be adopted to increase the adaptation of these patients.