Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Health Information Technology, Faculty of Para‑Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran

3 Scientometrics Office, Vice Chancellery of Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 PhD in Information Sciences and Knowledge Studies, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Awareness of sources of information of mastectomy patients has an important role
in accessibility of reliable health information sources, thus, when they get information, they can be
effective in the treatment and self‑care. The present study aimed to identify the sources of information
used by women underwent mastectomy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current practical research methodology was qualitative, and
research method was conventional qualitative content analysis was performed on 17 patients with
breast cancer undergone mastectomy. The sample targeted two hospitals were selected based on
criteria of Shaeid Mohammadi and the Persian Gulf and Omid Central chemotherapy in Babdar
Abbas. Data were collected by face‑to‑face semi‑structured interviews were conducted in winter
2015. Qualitative content analysis of data was performed at the same time of data collection.
RESULTS: Three themes were seemed (medical, interpersonal, and media) sources for explaining
the sources of information searching. Subcategories derived from the content of medical (physicians,
surgeons, and health workers of health facility centers), interpersonal sources (Family and friends,
peers), and media sources (printed, electronic, and Internet).
CONCLUSION: Given the importance of information on women underwent mastectomy, and their
priority in the use of medical sources, necessitates more attention of health system managers and
planners in providing essential information and their accessibility.

Keywords

1. Lambert SD, Loiselle CG. Health information seeking behavior.
Qual Health Res 2007;17:1006‑19.
2. Najafi M, Ebrahimi M, Kaviani A, Hashemi E, Montazeri A.
Breast conserving surgery versus mastectomy: Cancer practice
by general surgeons in Iran. BMC Cancer 2005;5:35.
3. Gumus M, Ustaalioglu BO, Garip M, Kiziltan E, Bilici A,
Seker M, et al. Factors that affect patients’ decision‑making about
mastectomy or breast conserving surgery, and the psychological
effect of this choice on breast cancer patients. Breast Care (Basel)
2010;5:164‑8.
4. McLachlan K. Information and support needs of young women
with breast cancer: Younger women can experience greater
disruption to their daily lives and have more unmet practical
needs, such as childcare, than older women and they can be at
higher risk of psychological distress, says Kathleen McLachlan.
Cancer Nurs Pract 2009;8:21‑4.
5. Miyashita M, Ohno S, Kataoka A, Tokunaga E, Masuda N, Shien T,
et al. Unmet information needs and quality of life in young breast
cancer survivors in Japan. Cancer Nurs 2015;38:E1‑11.
6. Recio‑Saucedo A, Gerty S, Foster C, Eccles D, Cutress RI.
Information requirements of young women with breast
cancer treated with mastectomy or breast conserving surgery:
A systematic review. Breast 2016;25:1‑3.
7. World Health Organization. Breast Cancer: prevention and
Control‑Breast Cancer Burden. Available from: http://www.
who.int/cancer/detection/breastcancer/en/index1.html. [Last
accessed on 2015 Mar 30].
8. Nagler RH, Gray SW, Romantan A, Kelly BJ, DeMichele A,
Armstrong K, et al. Differences in information seeking
among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients:
Results from a population‑based survey. Patient Educ Couns
2010;81 Suppl: S54‑62.
9. Yao K, Wroblewski K, Van Haitsma M, Rabbitt S, Williams J,
Kulkarni S. Sources of information and influence on surgical
decisions regarding contralateral prophylactic mastectomy:
A prospective study. J Clin Oncol 2014 32:15_suppl,
e17628‑e17628
10. SchmidtH, CohenA, MandeliJ, WeltzC, PortER. Decision‑making
in breast cancer surgery: Where do patients go for information?
Am Surg 2016;82:397‑402.
11. Friðriksdóttir N, Saevarsdóttir T, Halfdánardóttir SÍ, Jónsdóttir A,
Magnúsdóttir H, Olafsdóttir KL, et al. Family members of cancer
patients: Needs, quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and
depression. Acta Oncol 2011;50:252‑8.
12. Wolf L. The information needs of women who have undergone
breast reconstruction. Part I: Decision‑making and sources of
information. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2004;8:211‑23.
13. Christina N. Kvinnors Upplevelse av Preoperativ Information
samt Livskvalitet Kring Bröstrekonstruktion med DIEP
operation [In Swedish]; 2014. Available from: http://www.
diva‑portal.org/smash/get/diva2:729896/FULLTEXT01.pdf.
[Last accessed on 2017 Jun 10].
14. Light A, Munro C, Breakey W, Critchley A. The internet: What are
our patients exposed to when considering breast reconstruction
following mastectomy? Breast 2014;23:799‑806.
15. Zaid YA, Egberongbe HS, Adekanye AE. Needs and sources of
information for women in the treatment and management of
breast cancer in Lagos State, Nigeria. Inf Dev 2016;32:175‑85.
16. Shea‑Budgell MA, KostarasX, Myhill KP, Hagen NA. Information
needs and sources of information for patients during cancer
follow‑up. Curr Oncol 2014;21:165‑73.
17. NgSK, HareRM, KuangRJ, SmithKM, BrownBJ, Hunter‑SmithDJ.
Breast reconstruction post mastectomy: Patient satisfaction and
decision making. Ann Plast Surg 2016;76:640‑4.
18. Enayatrad M, Salehinia H. An investigation of changing patterns
in breast cancer incidence trends among Iranian women.
J Sabzevar Univ Med Sci 2015;22:27‑35.
19. Women and Family Socio Cultural Council. Policies and Strategies
of Women’s Health Promotion. Tehran: Supreme Council of
Cultural Revoloution; 2006. Available from: http://www.
zn.farhangoelm.ir. [Last accessed on 2015 Aug 04].
20. Pope C, van Royen P, Baker R. Qualitative methods in research
on healthcare quality. Qual Saf Health Care 2002;11:148‑52.
21. Moradi N, Abdollahzadeh F, Rahmani A, Zamanzadeh V,
Asvadi I, Ghaleban K. Effects of husbands’ education on meeting
supportive care needs of breast cancer patients: A randomized
clinical trial. Sci J Hamadan Nurs Midwifery Fac 2013;21:40‑50.
22. Esmaeili R, Ahmadi F, Mohammadi E, Tirgari Seraj A. Support:
The major need of patients confronting with cancer diagnosis.
J Mazand Univ Med Sci 2012;22:21‑30.
23. Elo S, Kyngäs H. The qualitative content analysis process. J Adv
Nurs 2008;62:107‑15.
24. Guba EG, Lincoln YS. Competing paradigms in qualitative
research. In: Denzin NK, Lincoln YS, editors. Handbook of
Qualitative Research. London: Sage; 1994. p. 105‑17.