The Department would like to congratulate Nithiya a/p Sinarajoo on the successful completion of her DrPH Viva Voce. She presented her thesis titled “Association between Unmet Needs and Happiness in Women Living with Breast Cancer in a Multiethnic, Middle-Income Setting”.
She was supervised by Professor Dr Nirmala a/p Bhoo Pathy and Dr Mohamoud Danaee. We would like to thank Professor Dr Surendran Veeraiah from the Department of Psycho-Oncology and Resource Centre for Tobacco Control Cancer Institute (WIA) and Associate Professor Dr Nik Daliana Nik Farid as the examiners. We would also like to thank Professor Dr Fung Shin Yee for sharing the session and Professor Dr Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman as the panel.
Summary of Thesis Findings
The thesis investigates the relationship between unmet needs and happiness among women with breast cancer in Malaysia. It aims to validate commonly used happiness measurement tools, determine the distribution of unmet needs and happiness, and explore the roles of social support and religiosity in this context.
Key Findings:
- Unmet Needs: 55.7% of women with breast cancer reported unmet needs, particularly in hospital appointments (74.2%) and information services (70.6%).
- Happiness Levels: Over half (55.4%) of the participants reported being very happy.
- Negative Association: There is a significant negative association between unmet needs and happiness (β = −0.194, p < 0.001).
- Social Support: Social support partially mediates the relationship between unmet needs and happiness (p = 0.016).
- Religiosity: Religiosity does not moderate the relationship between unmet needs and happiness (p = 0.803).
Achievements:
- Validated Tools: Successfully validated the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), and Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI) for use among Malaysian women with breast cancer.
- Policy Impact: Findings can inform healthcare policies to improve supportive care, emphasizing the importance of addressing unmet needs and enhancing social support systems.
Conclusion: Addressing unmet needs and enhancing social support are crucial for improving the happiness and well-being of women with breast cancer. This study provides valuable insights for developing patient-centered care strategies in multiethnic, middle-income settings like Malaysia.
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