The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Stigma, and Coping Strategies Among Breast Cancer Patients in Erbil City, 2024–2025.

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Background and Aim: Breast cancer patients often face psychological challenges, including diminished self-esteem and stigma, which can impact their coping strategies. This study aimed to assess the levels of self-esteem and stigma among breast cancer patients in Erbil City and analyze their relationship with coping mechanisms. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 10, 2024, to February 20, 2025, in two hospitals in Erbil City, using purposive sampling. The study contained four parts, including demographic data and three standardized tools: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) to assess self-esteem, the Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) to evaluate stigma, and the Cancer Coping Questionnaire to measure coping strategies. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression applied to examine associations between self-esteem, stigma, coping strategies, and demographic variables. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 109 breast cancer patients participated in the study. The mean scores for self-esteem, stigma, and coping strategies were 26.84 ± 7.33, 122.47 ± 16.90, and 53.47 ± 14.72, respectively, indicating that all three variables were at a moderate level among participants. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between stigma and self-esteem (r = -0.16, p < 0.001), suggesting that higher stigma was associated with lower self-esteem. Additionally, stigma was negatively correlated with coping strategies (r = -0.61, p < 0.001), while self-esteem was positively correlated with coping strategies (r = 0.14, p < 0.001), indicating that higher self-esteem was linked to better coping strategies. Conclusion: The study found that breast cancer patients had moderate levels of stigma, self-esteem, and coping strategies. It is recommended that policymakers and healthcare providers develop targeted psychosocial interventions to reduce stigma, enhance coping mechanisms, and improve self-esteem among breast cancer patients.

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