Illness perception and sense of well-being in breast cancer patients

Purpose: The objective of the study was to explore breast cancer patients’ illness perception, its relationship to perceived sense of well-being, and the role of perceived social support. Methods: Women with diagnosed breast cancer were recruited from the two university hospitals in South Korea between January and April 2018. The questionnaires included the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast cancer (FACT-B). A total of 321 participants’ data was analyzed using descriptive analyses, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling. Results: Negative illness perception was greater in participants currently receiving chemotherapy (p=0.044) or had received chemotherapy in the past (p=0.006). Positive illness perception was lower in older participants (p=0.001) or those who had received chemotherapy (p=0.018). Negative illness perception had a direct effect on a low sense of well-being (p<0.001). Perceived social support had a significant mediation effect on the relationship between negative/positive illness perception and sense of well-being (p<0.001). Conclusion: Significant relationships between illness perception and sense of well-being were observed in breast cancer patients. Strengthening patients’ perceived social support would be helpful in improving their sense of well-being.