Head and neck cancer patients’ return-to-work experience following facial change as a result of surgery: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Autor: | Deborah Owen |
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Rok vydání: | 2013 |
Zdroj: | OP Matters. 1:23-31 |
ISSN: | 2396-8761 2396-8648 |
DOI: | 10.53841/bpsopm.2013.1.20.23 |
Popis: | Backgroundhead and neck cancer (hNc) is the sixth most common cancer internationally. the corollary of improved survival rates however, is a proliferation of individuals returning to work. these individuals possess a unique set of needs – not only does hNc affect basic daily functions, such as breathing and speaking, but highly visible surgical results can be particularly distressing. Patients may experience a change in relationships and a shift in their sense of identityAim: A hermeneutic interpretative phenomenological analysis of hNc patients’ return-towork experience following facial change as a result of surgical intervention. hermeneutic inquiry is a particularly pertinent method as it explores how hNc patients feel about themselves, how they feel they are perceived, and their understanding of others. Previous hNc research has either tended to focus on coping strategies, or physiological problems. this study explores how the participants situate themselves in the occupational context using heidegger’s concept of ‘being-in-the-world’.MethodInterpretative phenomenological analysis of semi-structured interviews with six hNc patients (four women and two men) who had finished prosthetic/cosmetic treatment.ResultsAnalysis revealed three themes related to the patients’ experience of facial alteration as a result of cancer surgery: their presence in the world, their consideration of ‘being’ in the eyes of others, and their ‘being’ in relation to others. For some individuals, re-establishing the occupational self after facial change is a challenging but satisfying process. the degree of visibility of the facial disfigurement was not an indicator of the level of psychological impact on the ndividual however social self-efficacy and organisational support were significant factors in mitigating the positive association between facial difference and acceptance in the job-role. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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