Effect of mindfulness-based intervention on perceived stress among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Introduction: Breast cancer is the second most prevalent disease among women in India and one of the most dangerous and lethal. Chemotherapy-treated breast cancer patients may have perceived stress, which is defined as emotions of mental or physical exhaustion that make them feel angry or anxious. Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) gives some ideas in line with the conventional mindfulness technique.

Purposes: (i) To assess the effect of MBI on perceived stress among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. (ii) To determine the association between perceived stress with selected demographic variables among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: The current quantitative pre- and postexperimental study was carried out in two oncology departments of selected cancer hospitals, Bhubaneswar. A total number of 40 breast cancer patients of perceived stress receiving chemotherapy and data were gathered by using a self-structured socio-demographic proforma and a structured Perceived Stress Scale 10. The experimental group received MBI, and a posttest was conducted on the 17^th day on both the groups after 10 days of the termination of intervention. This MBI was provided to breast cancer patients for five sessions over five days continuously, each session for 45 min with mindfulness breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation techniques, practising meditation, and guided imagery technique.

Results: The study findings illustrated that reduction of perceived stress among female breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with (t = 2.2463) (P = 0.0306) at the P < 0.05; furthermore, there is one socio-demographic variable which had association with perceived stress that is history of psychiatric illness (χ ² = 14.1176) (P = 0.0009) and others had no association with perceived stress.

Conclusion: MBI was an effective therapy for reducing the perceived stress of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.