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Current Breast Cancer Reports
Published in: Current Breast Cancer Reports 3/2015

Open Access 01-09-2015 | Psycho-Oncology and Supportive Care (W WT Lam, Section Editor)

Illness Perceptions in Women with Breast Cancer—a Systematic Literature Review

Authors: Ad A. Kaptein, Jan W. Schoones, Maarten J. Fischer, Melissa S. Y. Thong, Judith R. Kroep, Koos J. M. van der Hoeven

Published in: Current Breast Cancer Reports | Issue 3/2015

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Abstract

Women with breast cancer respond to the illness and its medical management in their own personal way. Their coping behavior and self-management are determined by their views (cognitions) and feelings (emotions) about symptoms and illness: their illness perceptions. This paper reports the results of a systematic literature review of illness perceptions and breast cancer. In the 12 studies identified, published between 2012 and 2015, illness perceptions were found to be important concomitants of medical and behavioral outcomes: fear of recurrence, distress, quality of life, satisfaction with medical care, use of traditional healers, and risk perception. Intervention studies are called for where the effects are examined of replacing unhelpful illness perceptions by more constructive ones. Health care providers do well by incorporating illness perceptions in their care for women with breast cancer, as this is instrumental in improving patients’ quality of life.
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Metadata
Title
Illness Perceptions in Women with Breast Cancer—a Systematic Literature Review
Authors
Ad A. Kaptein
Jan W. Schoones
Maarten J. Fischer
Melissa S. Y. Thong
Judith R. Kroep
Koos J. M. van der Hoeven
Publication date
01-09-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Breast Cancer Reports / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 1943-4588
Electronic ISSN: 1943-4596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-015-0187-y

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