QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG PALESTINIAN BREAST CANCER WOMEN
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Date
2025-04-17
Authors
Abu Sa A, Walaa Hani Abdul-Jabbar
Journal Title
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Publisher
An-Najah National University
Abstract
Background: Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of cancer are ranking withrising., with breast cancer ranking with the leading causes of death for women worldwide, including in Palestine (Devi, 2025; Elshami et al., 2022). This disease greatly affects the quality of life of affected women. Social support, meanwhile, plays an essential role in mitigating challenges and enhancing well-being in daily life.
Aim: the main aim of current study is to assess the quality of life (QoL) among women diagnosed as breast cancer, evaluate the level of social support they receive, and examine the relationship between QoL and social support.
Method: A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving 210 women diagnosed with breast cancer recruited from daycare units in hospitals across the West Bank of Palestine. A questionnaire was used to measure quality of life, the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Scale (EORTC-C30), and to assess the support provided to women we used the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support (MPSS).
Results: This study enrolled 210 participants women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, the mean of age was 50.54 ± 11.83 years, regarding to marital status majority of them were married 72.4%, and 73.8% were unemployed. 51.4% of respondents resided in urban, about financial support the majority of them 73.3% depended on their family members. The mean QoL score was 52.33, reflecting a moderate level of overall well-being. A significant positive correlation was identified between social support and QoL (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Furthermore, 78% of the participants reported moderate to high levels of social support.
Conclusion: This study highlights the critical role of social support in improving the quality of life of women with breast cancer. The findings emphasize the importance of distinguishing types of social support and implementing tailored interventions to address individual needs effectively. Such personalized strategies are vital for enhancing QoL in this population.
Keywords: Breast Cancer, Quality of Life, Social Support, Palestine