title: A survey of the body image of mastectomies women referring to imam khomeini and imam hussein hospitals in tehran, iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer treatment may have severe effects on women body image. As a routine care, mastectomy may enhance the risks for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of social relationships among women. An awareness of body image changes following mastectomy may promote adaptation among women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study has sought to determine body image levels following mastectomy among females referring to clinics at Imam Khomeini and Imam Hussein Hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive study, 90 women, aged 30-50, who had undergone mastectomy in least 3 weeks before the study started participated. They had no history of any previous surgery, chronic or psychological diseases. The subjects only referred to the clinics for follow-up treatment procedures such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study benefited from a questionnaire which was validated for content. The questionnaire reliability was qualified by Cronbach Procedure (α=0.8). The questionnaire included demographic information as well as information on surgery and body image. The data collected were analyzed by the SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study show that body image among most subjects (44.4%) 1-3 months after mastectomy was at the "medium" level showing that 43.3% of the subjects were in favorable conditions. The study also showed that body image for most subjects (40%) was at the "medium" level, the image of most subjects (51.1%) of their breasts was at: very favorable" level, the image of most subjects (31.1%) of sexual relation was at "unfavorable" level, the image of most subjects (34.4%) upon the feeling of what others thought of them was at "favorable" level, and the image of most subjects (40%) of their familial relationships was at "medium" level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Generally speaking, body image among most subjects under study was at medium-favorable levels. Since the study was conducted 1-3 months following mastectomy, and as the patients were at the recovery stages, the feelings of conquest over cancer may have caused them not to worry much about the body images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Surgery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shaheed Beheshti University, MSc., Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Roghayeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esmaili
authors.forename: Jila Abed
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Saiidi
authors.forename: Hamid Alavi
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Majd
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esmaieli