| Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the 5th leading cause
of death in Iranian women. Many of these women are at the age of fertility
and have dependent children. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the
experiences of mothers with breast cancer of the support they receive for playing
and rebalancing their mothering role. Methods: This qualitative content analysis
study was conducted from 2018 to 2019. Participants were 22 mothers with breast
cancer purposively recruited from Shahid Ghazi Tabatabaee Hospital in Tabriz,
Iran. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews and analyzed through
a conventional content analysis method. Results: Participants’ experiences were
categorized into three main categories, namely, perceived difficulties, being with
and for mother, and rebalancing family functions. The four subcategories of the
first category were the physical limitations in performing the mothering role, the
psychological burden of the disease, role strain in playing the mothering role, and
children’s social difficulties. The second category included five subcategories,
namely, assistance with the mothering role, emotional attachment to the mother,
provision of family expenses and medical costs, normalization of appearance
following cancer‑induced changes, and social support resources. Finally, the third
category included two subcategories, namely, the stability of the mother’s roles and
promoting a health‑oriented perspective in the family. Conclusion: Mothers with
breast cancer face difficulties in performing their role as mothers. Identifying and
providing supportive interventions for them by the health‑care providers not only
can be effective in achieving role stability for the mother but also in rebalancing
family functions. |