Evaluation of self-esteem of women with cancer receiving chemotherapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: To examine the concept of self-esteem as it relates to female patients with cancer before diagnosis and while experiencing chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

DESIGN

Descriptive-analytic.

SETTING

Oncology unit of a community hospital and an outpatient oncology clinic in a southeastern city of the United States.

SAMPLE

30 women receiving chemotherapy and who have experienced some degree of alopecia.

METHODS

Subjects answered demographic questions and were evaluated for degree of hair loss. Subjects completed the Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale (CSA) on the day of the interview and retrospectively prior to their diagnosis. In addition they completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE).

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Self-esteem, change over time, degree of alopecia, length of time since diagnosis.

FINDINGS

A significant decrease in self-esteem from before cancer diagnosis levels to time of experiencing chemotherapy-induced alopecia; modest correlation between the CSA and the RSE. Four categories of characteristics (physical, spiritual, psychological, social) influencing self-esteem emerged from analysis of the CSA responses.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-esteem was not stable in this group of women. Postdiagnosis levels were lower than those before the diagnosis; however, lower levels did not necessarily translate into low self-esteem. The CSA may be a more comprehensive and sensitive measure of self-esteem in patients with cancer because it is based on individual definitions of high and low self-esteem.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Understanding what specifically may lower an individual's self-esteem can be useful in identifying patient-specific interventions. Future research must explore ways to determine self-esteem consistently and easily.