title: Illness Perceptions in Women with Breast Cancer-a Systematic Literature Review.
abstract: Women with breast cancer respond to the illness and its medical management in their own personal way. Their coping behavior and self-management are determined by their views (cognitions) and feelings (emotions) about symptoms and illness: their illness perceptions. This paper reports the results of a systematic literature review of illness perceptions and breast cancer. In the 12 studies identified, published between 2012 and 2015, illness perceptions were found to be important concomitants of medical and behavioral outcomes: fear of recurrence, distress, quality of life, satisfaction with medical care, use of traditional healers, and risk perception. Intervention studies are called for where the effects are examined of replacing unhelpful illness perceptions by more constructive ones. Health care providers do well by incorporating illness perceptions in their care for women with breast cancer, as this is instrumental in improving patients' quality of life.
authors: Medical Psychology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Ad A
authors: AA
authors: Kaptein
authors: Walaeus Library, LUMC, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Jan W
authors: JW
authors: Schoones
authors: Clinical Oncology, LUMC, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Maarten J
authors: MJ
authors: Fischer
authors: Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, PO Box 90 153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors: Melissa S Y
authors: MS
authors: Thong
authors: Clinical Oncology, LUMC, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Judith R
authors: JR
authors: Kroep
authors: Clinical Oncology, LUMC, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Koos J M
authors: KJ
authors: van der Hoeven
keywords: Breast cancer; Cognitions; Emotions; Illness perceptions; Quality of life; Systematic literature review