Exploring supportive care needs and experiences of facial surgery patients (original) (raw)

Coming to Terms: A Grounded Theory of Adaptation to Facial Surgery in Adulthood

Journal of Health Psychology, 2006

Facial surgery is associated with both functional difficulties and disfigurement, and there is evidence to show that psychosocial outcomes vary widely between individuals. This article reports the findings of a grounded theory study of the predictors and process of adaptation to facial surgery in adulthood. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 29 facial surgery survivors. Four super-ordinate data categories were generated, namely 'Demands','Resources', 'Responding and managing' and 'Consequences'. A model of adaptation was developed which reflected the inter-relationships apparent between these categories. Data extracts are presented to illustrate the grounding of the model in participants' accounts, and the model is discussed with reference to previous theory and research.

A qualitative study of life events and psychological needs underlying the decision to have cosmetic surgery

The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 2017

Objective A thorough psychological assessment of patients requesting cosmetic surgery can help to protect them from the risk of postoperative dissatisfaction and the onset and/or aggravation of psychiatric disorders. This study seeks to shed more light on why people desire cosmetic surgery and thus help surgeons, psychiatrists, and psychologists to conduct assessments before surgery. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 subjects who requested cosmetic surgery. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and then analyzed qualitatively with Grounded Theory. Themes and categories were identified and compared in logical order, to build a consistent theoretical model. Results In each interview, we identified one or more recent events that the subjects considered to be contributing factors in their decisions to have cosmetic surgery. We observed that 33 of 35 patients said they sought cosmetic surgery at a time when they were experiencing, or had just experienced, one or m...

Mapping out the social experience of cancer patients with facial disfigurement

Health, 2010

This article contributes to the limited literature on the social consequences of cancer generated facial disfigurement by reporting the result of an exploratory analysis of interaction between facially disfigured cancer patients and strangers and acquaintances (secondary groups). Secondary groups are those in which membership occurs due to performance of formal and/or non-intimate roles. Interaction is studied as it takes place in different social settings. Individuals who are affected by cancer of the head and neck region can now expect to survive for many years after the cancer is detected and later surgically removed. Because of surgery, these survivors live the rest of their lives with facial disfigurement and are stigmatized and socially excluded. It follows that a new and socially relevant situation has emerged: as medicine develops and allows more patients to survive, it forces them to spend significant portions of their lives dealing with the stigma associated with facial disfigurement. Research on social issues pertaining to facially disfigured cancer patients remains sparse. Limited knowledge has been produced on the "social context" within which interaction between the disfigured and relevant social groups takes place. To date most research has focused on the individual and his/her ability to adapt to the condition of facially disfigured. To address this scientific gap and document the manner through which the interaction process is socially created and evolves, interviews with fourteen facially disfigured cancer patients were carried out. These interviews were designed to reconstruct the interaction experiences of these individuals in different social contexts. Data were analyzed through the qualitative approach of grounded theory. Results indicate that patients can be divided into two groups: Occasionally Comfortable Patients and Always Comfortable Patients. A. Bonanno et al. / HEALTH 2 (2010) 418-428

Psychosocial Impact of Facial Deformities and Surgical Interventions

Caspian Journal of Health Research (CJHR), 2024

Facial deformities, whether congenital or acquired, often lead to diminished self-esteem, negative body image, social stigma, discrimination, and emotional challenges such as anxiety, depression, and social phobia. Surgical interventions are commonly sought to improve appearance and enhance self-esteem and social acceptance, but the outcomes may not always align with patients' expectations, potentially leading to disappointment. The post-surgical recovery process is both physically and emotionally demanding, necessitating support for managing self-image and social interactions. Successful surgery can lead to improved self-esteem and social interactions, but ongoing support is crucial to address residual issues and ensure continued emotional well-being. The paper underscores the importance of a holistic approach to patient care that integrates psychological support with surgical intervention to optimize outcomes and ensure a comprehensive approach to patients' well-being.

Adaptation After Facial Surgery: Using the Diary as a Research Tool

Qualitative Health Research, 2010

We conducted a small-scale qualitative diary study to gather accounts from five facial cancer surgery patients. Participants were asked to record their experiences, thoughts, and feelings for up to 1 year, as they underwent and recovered from their surgery and adapted to living with alterations in their appearance. In this article, we consider evidence relating to the diary as a research tool and discuss our experiences of issues arising with the qualitative diary method employed in this study.These include comparability with interview data, factors affecting the quantity and quality of data (novelty, personal significance, and individual writing styles), chronological storytelling, and barriers to writing (visual difficulties and depression).

Surgical facial cancer treatment: the silencing of disfigurement in nurse-patient interactions

Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2009

Title. Surgical facial cancer treatment: the silencing of disfigurement in nursepatient interactions. Aim. The aim of this study was to explore and explain how disfigurement is addressed in interactions between patient and nurse during the period in hospital immediately after undergoing disfiguring facial surgery. Background. Facial disfigurement as a result of head and neck or eye cancer surgery is associated with psychosocial problems; however no successful intervention program has been developed. Empirically derived knowledge about what goes on in the patient-nurse interaction is missing. Method. A grounded theory design was used, with data derived from audiorecorded conversations between and individual interviews with 14 patients and their connected nurses, from three participating university hospitals. Data were collected in 2007. Findings. A substantive model with silencing disfigurement as a core category was developed. The model included three categories; minimizing disfigurement, disfigurement is a luxurious problem and another time, another place. A condition of implicit and unverified professional assumptions about addressing the issue of disfigurement became an underlying character. Without this the core category could not exist. Conclusion. The model elucidates a silencing process maintained by preconceived assumptions which need to be challenged to help patients adjust to their changed appearance after facial cancer treatment.

Psychological adjustment to acquired facial disfigurement: Personality characteristics, self-concept and satisfaction with social support - longitudinal study

PSYCHTECH & HEALTH JOURNAL

We intend to contribute towards a better understanding of the variables that affect the Schematic Investment and Self-consciousness of the appearance of those who suffer from acquired facial disfigurement. The sample consisted of 67 individuals who have been submitted to plastic and reconstructive surgery and completed a questionnaire evaluating the influence of personality traits, optimism, self-concept, emotions and perception of satisfaction with social support, and with the perception of appearance during their admittance to the hospital, and 12 months after the surgery. In both evaluation moments, there were meaningful statistical differences for the variables Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Optimism, Positive and Negative Affect, Self-Concept and Social Support Satisfaction. In both evaluations, Self-conscientiousness of Appearance reveals a positive relationship with the dimension Neuroticism and negative relation with Self-concept. Results reveal that Schematic Investment and Self-conscientiousness of appearance vary in time and that there are variants that influence the psychological adjustment to acquired facial disfigurement.

Experiences and Outcomes of Attending a Facial Pain Management Program: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache, 2021

Aims: To understand the experiences of patients diagnosed with chronic facial pain (CFP) who attended a specialist facial pain management program (PMP); specifically, to explore how they experienced attending the facial PMP itself and how they felt it impacted their management of CFP. Methods: Qualitative methodology and focus groups were used to gather patients' views and experiences of attending a facial PMP. Two focus groups were conducted for patients who had all completed the facial PMP. Discussions were recorded and transcribed. Data were then analyzed using thematic analysis to establish key themes relating to participants' experiences of the facial PMP. Results: Thematic analysis identified three main themes, with numerous subthemes within them. The theme "psychologic change" had subthemes of self-compassion, acceptance, and reflection. The theme "behavioral change" contained subthemes of re-engagement with valued activity, medication, and communication. The theme "structure and process" contained subthemes of concentration, need for one-on-one time with the clinician, meeting others, and not enough time (clinical and nonclinical). Conclusion: Facial PMPs may provide a valuable treatment to support long-term coping and adaptation for patients with CFP. Positive changes to coping include both psychologic and behavioral elements. Further research is necessary to clarify how group-based facial PMPs should be structured and delivered.

Patients' Perceptions of Emotional Support and Information Provided to Family Members

AORN Journal, 2005

Paavilainen, RN t has been estimated that in the future more than half of elective sur-I gical procedures will take place in day surgery centers.' Patients generally are satisfied with day surgery because they are discharged the same day they have surgery, and, therefore, interference in their personal lives is minimized.'3 Day surgery, however, involves less contact with nursing staff members, which means patients and their family members must assume greater responsibility for preoperative preparations and follow-up care at home.'