Association between Body Image Related Anxiety and Stress Among Women with Breast Cancer in Babil

Abstract Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant disease that develops from breast tissue, Some women may experience cancer stigma as a consequence of treatment-related changes to their appearance hair loss, or loss of breast (one or both of them). When women with BC know about their disease or the disease worsens or the therapy progresses, they may experience an increase in anxiety levels. Objectives: To correlate body image with anxiety and stress among women with BC. Materials and Methods: A descriptive (cross-sectional) design study was conducted in Babylon Province from the period December 2021 to March 2023, aiming to identify the correlation between body image and anxiety and stress among women with BC. The data was examined utilizing statistical and descriptive data analysis methods carried out by (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 20). Results: The results of the present study show that women with BC experience different levels of feelings of losing their body image, anxiety, and stress. There was a significant correlation between body image and anxiety and stress, and there was an association between body image, anxiety and stress, and socio-demographic characteristics of study participants. Conclusions: Highly significant differences in the level of body image, anxiety, and stress with socio-demographical characteristics of the study sample at ( P > 0.05) while the study result shows that there was no significant relationship with other socio-demographical data at P value ( P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between body image and anxiety and stress among women with BC.