Silveira IR. Breast reconstruction and the experience of illness: narratives of women with breast cancer in an online help group in Brazil. Interface (Botucatu). 2026; 30: e260058 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.260058
Abstract
This study investigated the experiences of women with breast cancer in a virtual mutual-help group in Brazil with breast reconstruction. We conducted a qualitative study grounded in virtual ethnography between June and December 2017. The data was collected using participant observation of a WhatsApp group made up of 159 members and in-depth interviews with 3 participant volunteers. The empirical data (texts, audio recordings, images and narratives) were analyzed using content analysis. The results reveal ambivalent experiences of breast reconstruction: while often associated with the restoration of self-esteem and femininity, the process also involves physical and psychosocial suffering. The findings also highlighted tensions related to body image, work and social expectations of normality. This study contributes by shedding light on under-explored and under-represented dimensions of women’s experiences of cancer care.
Keywords
Breast cancer; Breast reconstruction; The experience of illness; Virtual ethnography; Health narratives
Access in: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.260058
