The Psychological Impact of the PIP Breast Implants Scandal On A Cohort of UK Women

Purpose: It has been reported that 50,000 women in the UK and 400,000 women worldwide received Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP) implants that consisted of non-manufacture grade silicone. The associations of this prosthesis with higher rupture rates and rare cancers such as anaplastic large cell lymphoma have the potential to inflict serious psychological trauma on a cohort of women who may already be vulnerable following a formal diagnosis of breast cancer. Many women are not aware of the make of implant they received during surgery and so the entire episode has caused mass hysteria.

Objective: In the UK there was a huge amount of media publicity following the outbreak of the scandal that led to thousands of angry and worried women demanding further information from the medical community. This study was undertaken to assess the formal risk of developing psychological disorders in a susceptible group of women.

Methods: 100 breast cancer patients who received implants for reconstructive purposes who attended outpatient clinics between January 2012 and February 2012 were asked to complete the Impact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaire. They answered with regards to their feelings in the aftermath of the breast implant scandal that exploded in the media. The IES consists of 15 short questions which when answered give a total score out of 75. This numerical score can then be used to measure how stressful an event has been on a person. It is valuable to identify less intense forms of stress right through to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Results: 92% of the women surveyed reported a score that impacted on their life in some way. 31% had a score that equated to the event having a powerful impact on their life and 9% surveyed produced a score that when interpreted meant that the event had a severe impact on their life and was thus capable of altering their ability to function.

Conclusions: The reported costs of the scandal to the British government could run to over £150 million. The cost to the mental health of all who have been involved is impossible to calculate. The medical community has a responsibility to limit the psychological impacts of this traumatic event by arranging appropriate counselling and timely intervention to support these women.