Breast Cancer Hits Well Educated Women Hardest By Breast Cancer

Well-educated women are emotionally the hardest hit by breast cancer.

A study undertaken by Australia's Monash University Medical School's Women's Health Program, found that well-educated women and those who live alone are emotionally the hardest hit. 

Nearly 1.5 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2010 according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group, including almost 180,000 breast cancer cases in women.  Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. With improvements in detection and treatment of breast cancer, 87 per cent of women affected survive five years or more from the time of detection.

The researchers found that two years post diagnosis women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health, with lessened vitality being limited to older women.

Women living alone were more likely to have a lower well being is an important finding suggesting that such women may benefit by targeted provision of social support.   

The study reported that women's well being two years out from being treated for the disease was overall only modestly lower than for women in general. 

Posted by Jesse Slome
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