Kalku YemesirachAmare Meron2021-09-082023-11-062021-09-082023-11-062012-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/27831BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death among women worldwide .Many women adapt differently to having breast cancer and use different coping strategies to deal with the physical and psychological challenges of the disease. A review of the literature showed several factors that could influence the coping strategies of women with cancer, including demographic characteristics, educational level, positive thinking, and psychosocial support. OBJECTIVE: To assess coping mechanisms used by breast cancer patients in Tikur Anbassa Specialized Hospital,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from October to May 2012. METHOD: The study was conducted in Tikur Anbassa Specialized Hospital from October to May 2012. Aninstitutional based cross-sectional study was implemented. All breast cancer patients in the study hospital were enrolled. The total of 234 breast cancer patients obtained for interview by convenient non probability sampling technique. The data was collected using pretested structured questionnaire which was piloted on 10% of patients with the same hospital prior to data collection time. The final result of this study will be submitted to the concerned bodies. Data was entered into the computer, cleared, edited and coded before analysis. The data was analyzed by using SPSS 16.0 version. The results were presented by frequency tables, charts and figures. Moreover, cross tabulation made between selected variables and p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: From a total of 234 breast cancer patients involved in the study area, 101 (43.2%) were at age range of40-54 years. The majority of subjects 214 (91.5%) were ever married while 20 (8.5%) were never married. Among the study subjects 152 (65.0%) of the respondents were unemployed and the others 82 (35.0%) were engaged in some occupation. Among the educational status of the study population 90(38.5%) had no formal education. Among the respondents 109 (46.6%) had no income. Among 234 respondents 59.13% of them did not use seeking social support coping activities. The majority of the respondents 67.01% did not use planful problem solving coping activities. From a totalof 234 respondents 68.3% did not use positive reappraisal coping activities. After controlling for confounding variables educational level was found to be the main predictor, independently and negatively associated with isolation with (OR=0.199,95%CI(0.102,0.211). Illiterates use isolation compared to literates. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Breast cancer disease indeed affects quality of life and the clients` coping in a dominant ways.Therefore, we need to encourage positive coping activities and discourage negative coping activities.Moreover, we need to incorporate social and psychological support in addition to the physical care. It is recommended that educators must design programs and curricula to provide information inclusive ofboth patients and caregivers. More research in field will help to solve existing as well as new problem.en-USBreast cancer,PatientsThesis