title: Breast reconstruction following mastectomy for invasive breast cancer is strongly influenced by demographic factors in women in Victoria, Australia.
abstract: This study explored factors associated with the likelihood of reconstruction after unilateral mastectomy and the wellbeing of women after reconstruction. Data were from a questionnaire completed on average 1.8 years after diagnosis by 1429 women in the BUPA Health and Wellbeing After Breast Cancer Study. Logistic regression was used to model factors associated with reconstruction. The Psychological General Wellbeing Questionnaire was used to assess wellbeing. A total of 25.4% of 366 women who had a unilateral mastectomy had undergone a reconstruction nearly two years after diagnosis. Being younger (p<0.001), educated beyond school (p<0.04), living in the metropolitan area (p<0.001), having private health insurance (p=0.003), not having dependent children (p=0.004) and not having radiotherapy (p<0.001) explained just over 40% of the variation in reconstruction status. There was a modest difference between women who did and did not have a reconstruction in terms of wellbeing. Demographic factors strongly influence the likelihood of reconstruction after mastectomy.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 6, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne Victoria 3004, Australia. robin.bell@monash.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fradkin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018427:Breast Implants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health