title: Social Perceptions of Breast Cancer by Women Still Undergoing or Having Completed Therapy: a Qualitative Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is a crisis situation which effects women's lives physically, socially and spiritually. Investigating women's perceptions of this disease is crucially important for treatment decisions. We therefore determined social perceptions and interpretations of women diagnosed with breast cancer during therapy and in the post-treatment period.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study, focus group and in-depth interviews were made with women still undergoing or having completed breast cancer treatment. Some 25 women were included in the research. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the qualitative data obtained after the focus group and in-depth interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some of the women demonstrated positive perceptions towards accepting the disease, whereas others had emotions such as rebellion and anger. The loss of a breast is important with different interpretations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women's acceptance or rebellion against the disease varies within their social interpretations after the treatment, as at the stage of diagnosis/treatment. All stages of breast cancer negatively affect the social life of the affected individual as much as her body. Nurses assume crucial roles in coping with these negative effects. Thus, it is necessary to know, and sociologically interpret, what is indicated by the information on what the negative effects concerning the disease are and how they are interpreted.
authors.affiliation: Ege University Faculty of Nursing, Public Health Nursing Department, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey E-mail : gulengul.s.mermer@ege.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Gulengul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mermer
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nazli
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceber
authors.forename: Gulengul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mermer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support