Longitudinal variations of sleep quality in women with breast cancer

Objectives: To compare sleep quality, depression, and hope in women with breast cancer over an approximate period of 1 year. Methods: This longitudinal study included 107 women assisted at a teaching hospital. The following instruments were used: Questionnaire on Socio-demographic and Clinical Characteristics; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Beck Depression Inventory; and Herth Hope Scale. Data were collected at T0, before tumor removal surgery, and after surgery at T1 (average of 3.2 months), T2 (average of 6.1 months), and T3 (average of 12.4 months). Results: Poor sleep quality persisted over the follow-up; hope increased at T1; the proportion of women with moderate and severe depression increased at T3. There was a significant correlation among scores indicating sleep quality, depression, and hope in all four time points. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest the significance of long-term follow-up.