Social stigma and disclosure of diagnosis among women with breast cancer in Azerbaijan

Abstract

Objective

The current practice in medical and surgical care of women with breast cancer in Azerbaijan is to hold back disclosure of cancer diagnosis unless the patient actively asserts full disclosure. This study aimed to serve as a pilot, to appraise the level of anxiety and depression in women diagnosed with breast cancer and explore ways to develop approaches to further elucidating the important issue of cancer information disclosure.

Methods

The subjects in the study were women recruited consecutively with confirmed oncological diagnosis of breast cancer (n = 23; mean age = 50 (SD ± 11; range 27–73 years) and who were scheduled for mastectomy. All the subjects consented to be directly interviewed. The interview comprised of a socio-demographic questionnaire and inquiry regarding the subjects’ understanding of the nature of their breast condition. All the subjects were also administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in Azerbaijani. The patients who knew their diagnosis of cancer were ascertained subsequently from the record (n = 11 [42.3%]).

Results

There was a significant correlation between anxiety scores (P = 0.006) and anxiety/depression scores combined (P = 0.009) with the level of subjects’ awareness regarding diagnosis of cancer; the correlation was not significant for depression scores alone (P = 0.068).

Conclusions

The findings are consistent with studies from culturally similar regions and reflect the need for improvement on disclosure, patient participation, and family support in treatment of women with breast cancer.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.