Magnitude of Mastectomy, Post-Mastectomy Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Predictors Among Breast Cancer Patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and a leading cause of cancer deaths, especially in low- and middle-income countries where mastectomy is often the only treatment option. Survivors face physical and psychological challenges, making it essential to assess post-mastectomy quality of life to inform strategies and programs that reduce the challenges.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of mastectomy, post-mastectomy health-related quality of life and its predictors among breast cancer patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: The study was conducted in three public hospitals in Addis Ababa—Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, and Yekatit 12 General Hospital Medical College—selected for their oncology services and high patient flow. An institution-based cross-sectional design was conducted with a sample size of 271, proportionally allocated to the hospitals and selected via simple random sampling. Data were collected through medical records and face-to-face interviews using structured tools (EORTC-QLQ- BR45 and C30) supported with an open data kit (ODK). The data are then exported and analyzed using SPSS 25, applying descriptive statistics to assess the magnitude of mastectomy and post-mastectomy health-related quality of life status and logistic regression to identify factors affecting post-mastectomy health-related quality of life.
Results: A total of 271 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery were included in this study. The mean age is 44.86 ±10.9. Most of the respondents underwent mastectomy (97%), and the rest had breast-conserving surgery. The average post-mastectomy health-related quality of life score of patients with breast cancer was 64.7 (SD =15.7). Arm symptoms (AOR 5.3, 95% CI 1.26-22.39), physical function (AOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.01-10.46), emotional function (AOR 3.4, 95% CI 1.46-7.94), and social function (AOR 6.2, 95% CI 2.68-14.16) were independent predictors of poor health-related quality of life in patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy.
Conclusions: The magnitude of mastectomy is high, with poor post-mastectomy HRQOL among breast cancer patients in Ethiopia. Key predictors included arm symptoms, along with physical, emotional, and social functioning. These underscore the need for policymakers, healthcare providers, and patients to enhance post-surgery care and develop better strategies that improve health-related quality of life.
Description
Keywords
Breast cancer, Post-mastectomy, Health-related quality of life, Ethiopia