"If looks would kill then I would be dead": intimate partner abuse and breast cancer in older women.

The objective of this study was to describe the experiences of older women diagnosed with breast cancer while experiencing intimate partner abuse (IPA), determined by scores on the Women's Experience With Battering (WEB) Scale. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 11 women ages 51 to 84 (mean age = 64.8). Data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis. Themes that emerged were Cancer and Control, Negative Relationship Changes, Changes in Intimacy, and Moving On. Older women simultaneously experiencing IPA and breast cancer have unique needs due to the complex interplay among three factors: age, IPA, and breast cancer. Gerontological nurses should be aware of issues surrounding older women with breast cancer and older women experiencing IPA. Assessment of older breast cancer patients should take into consideration patients' social support network and quality of intimate partner support. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.