Coping and quality of life in patients with skin tumors in the follow-up stage: The mediating role of body image and psychological morbidity

This study examined the relationships between coping style, body image, psychological morbidity, and quality of life. A total of 58 patients who were diagnosed with skin tumors, had been submitted to surgery, and were in the follow-up phase answered the following instruments: dermatology life quality index (DLQI), hospital anxiety and depression scales (HADS), body image scale (BIS), and the mini mental adjustment to cancer scale (Mini-MAC). The results showed that patients with a higher use of the coping styles of helplessness/hopelessness, anxious preoccupation, and cognitive avoidance reported a worse quality of life. Body image mediated the relationship between the coping styles of anxious preoccupation, helplessness/hopelessness, and quality of life. Psychological morbidity mediated the relationship between helplessness/hopelessness and quality of life. Therefore, even in the follow-up phase, it is important that health professionals are aware of the patient's emotional distress and body image to identify those at a higher risk of having a poorer quality of life.