[Health-related quality of life from a new perspective - The role of illness representations in patients with breast cancer].

In the modern oncology care the subject of quality of life has an emphasized importance. In our research we assessed aspects which may predict the quality of life. We hypothesized that after controlling the demographical and some medical factors, psychological distress and illness representations would have significant roles as predictors. The research has been carried out in Budapest at the Radiology Diagnostic Department of the National Institute of Oncology; participants were women (N=221) treated for malignant breast tumour (C50). The research tools included the Shortened Beck Depression Inventory, Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQBR23), Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), and the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). In terms of functional (β=-0.705, p=0.000; β=0.493, p=0.003), and symptom quality of life (β=0.517, p=0.000) negative affectivity has an outstanding role as predictor. Among the illness representations, the functional quality of life is influenced by cognitions concerning the illness consequences (β=0.243, p=0.008) and by emotional representations (β=0.220, p=0.034). Cognitive representations influencing the symptom quality of life are serious consequences (β=0.240, p=0.016) and illness perception (β=0.212, p=0.011). In the improvement of quality of life, treating negative affectivity has determining and the modification of dysfunctional illness cognitions play important roles.