Emotional Toll of Breast Cancer on Well-Educated Women and Those Who Live Alone

Well-educated women and those who live alone are emotionally the hardest hit by breast cancer, according to the findings of a new Australian study.

The MBF Foundation Health and Wellbeing after Breast Cancer Study, undertaken by Monash University Medical School’s Women’s Health Program in Australia, found that older women tended to experience lower levels of overall wellbeing compared to women of similar age in the community two years after their diagnosis.

“Up until now, there has been uncertainty about exactly what the impact of being diagnosed with breast cancer is in terms of mood and wellbeing over time. In our study, we found that two years post diagnosis women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health, with lessened vitality being limited to older women,” explains Dr. Susan R Davis, Professor of Women’s Health, Monash University Medical School, who was involved in the study.

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