Current status and influencing factors of emotional suppression in Chinese female breast cancer patients

Objective: To analyze the level of emotional suppression and the factors influencing it in female breast cancer patients in Henan Province, China, and to provide theoretical support for nursing managers to prevent and improve emotional suppression in breast cancer patients, and to improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients.Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to select 143 breast cancer patients admitted and hospitalized in the oncology departments of three tertiary hospitals in Luoyang City, Henan Province, China, from November 2023 to January 2024 as the study subjects. A general information questionnaire, an emotional suppression scale, and a family support care index questionnaire were used to conduct the survey.Results: The total score of emotional suppression in breast cancer patients was (32.73 ± 6.59). The results of multiple regression showed that education, disease stage, pain level, and family support were the main influencing factors of emotional inhibition in breast cancer patients (all p < .05).Discussion: Emotional suppression of breast cancer patients in Henan Province is at a medium level; Health care workers and family members should pay more attention to the psychological changes of patients, implement effective nursing interventions, provide positive psychological support, and reduce the psychological burden of patients, to significantly reduce the degree of emotional suppression of patients.