Influence of Liaison Psychiatric Approach on Quality of Life in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer

Having breast cancer represents traumatic stress event that can influence development of psychiatric disorders during psychological adjustment. The aim of research was to investigate influence of liaison psychiatric approach on quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Sample consisted of 120 women with breast cancer treated on Department for Oncology in University Hospital Osijek. Patients were in liaison psychiatric treatment for two months. They were estimated on the first day, after one and two months of treatment. We used psychiatric interview and DSM-IV criteria, specially structured non-standardized questionnaire for estimation of potential ethyological factors for psychiatric disorders and WHOQOL-BREF for estimation of quality of life. We found that liaison psychiatric approach improved quality of life in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.