Living With Breast Cancer; Sri Lankan Rural Women's Reflexive Responses to Emotional Challenges.

Breast Cancer incidence rate has risen consistently as the leading female cancer in Sri Lanka among rural population. Hence this study focused to identify the reflexive responses of Sri Lankan rural women living with breast cancer to Emotional challenges under three themes; Stress and depression, feeling solation and spiritual directions. Qualitative research approach was adopted for this study and the data collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews from twenty-four respondents. Research themes have been derived from First-level analytical coding approach and thematic analysis was used in analysis of collected data. Most of the women in the unit of analysis are stressed and feared more at the very first beginning of the breast cancer diagnosis. As a positive note no one could identify with depression conditions. Feeling isolation could identify with reduced social interaction mostly in younger women rather than elder. Finally, a greater extent of spiritual directions could reveal after the diagnosis of breast cancer as a coping mechanism of this illness and psychological well-being. Findings of this research can be applied to real world context when dealing with rural women who are living with breast cancer by everyone in the society. Application of identified reflexive responses may significantly contribute in building up coping strategies in counselling and psychology for breast cancer patients. There seemed to be no a considerable number of research studies in line with breast cancer and its challenges and responses in Sri Lankan rural context. Thus, along with these research findings, future researchers can investigate more depth in to this study including women in urban areas, different races, different religions, professionals and workers in variety of occupations also under many other research themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]