Influence of Self-efficacy on Uncertainty and Quality of Life of Women with Breast Cancer. Integrative Review

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is a very aggressive disease that negatively impacts quality of life, due to multiple physical, psychological, and aesthetic changes, constant uncertainty and fear of death, which deteriorate self-esteem, self-management capacity, emotions, self-efficacy and sense of hope of affected women. Objective: To determine the influence of self-efficacy in the uncertainty and in the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Materials and Method: A review of the scientific literature was carried out in the main databases, from 2015 to 2020, of full-text articles, using the following descriptors: "breast cancer" "uncertainty" quality of life "and "Self-efficacy", following the guidelines established by the Cochrane Manual and the PRISMA report. Results: Twenty articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected. The following categories addressed in the research are presented as findings: "Deterioration of the quality of life of women due to breast cancer"; "Uncertainty as a psychological stressor that affects quality of life" and "Self-efficacy as a facilitative factor for well-being and coping". Conclusions: Uncertainty emerged as a psychological stressor that deteriorates the integral well-being of the affected women, since it negatively influences the psychological, social and physical domains of quality of life. A positive association between self-efficacy with well-being and coping strategies was identified among women with breast cancer, since self-efficacy reduces the perception of ambiguity and uncertainty.