Suicide, quality of life, and psychotropic medication use in women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES

to identify factors associated with suicide risk, quality of life, and psychotropic medication use among women with breast cancer treated at an oncology hospital.

METHODS

a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study with a quantitative approach was conducted in the mastology outpatient clinic of a specialized oncology hospital. A total of 102 women participated and completed specific questionnaires. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between psychotropic use, suicide risk, and quality of life.

RESULTS

15.7% of participants presented suicide risk, and 23.6% used psychotropic medications, mainly benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Non-Catholic women and those in stage III showed higher psychotropic consumption. Quality of life was lower in physical and psychological domains, and psychotropic use was associated with poorer scores across all domains.

CONCLUSIONS

the findings highlight the importance of early identification of suicide risk and the development of personalized emotional support strategies for women with breast cancer.