| Popis: |
This bachelor thesis focuses on vitiligo and its impact on the life quality of patients suffering the disease. Vitiligo is a relatively frequent acquired disorder which causes depigmentation of parts of the skin. The depigmented spots can be of different shapes and extent. Vitiligo is a chronic disease process and the actual cause of the disease is still unknown. One of the presumable causes is the immune system; this is why it is not easily cured. The treatment is a long-term process and requires great patience from both the patient and the medical team. Vitiligo is a major problem for the patient as it disturbs their physical appearance and thus influences the psychological well being of the patient; so vitiligo can also have a psychosocial impact. In our research we set two main goals. The first of them was to define the role of nurses in the treatment of vitiligo. The other goal was to enquire about the impact of vitiligo on the life quality of the patients. For the research we formulated two questions: 1.What is the role of a nurse in the treatment of a vitiligo patient? 2. What is the impact of vitiligo on the life quality of the patient? For the empirical part of the bachelor thesis we used a qualitative research method based on a semi-structured interview. The first interrogated group consisted of four nurses from the South Bohemian and the South Moravian region; these nurses work in dermatology centres that offer phototherapeutic treatment. The other group comprised patients suffering vitiligo; we interviewed three patients from Austria and one patient from the Czech Republic. The respondents suffering from vitiligo were also to complete a Dermatological Index of Life Quality questionnaire. The questionnaire was then evaluated according to a key and the results were filled into a chart. The interviews consisted of 18 questions for the vitiligo patients and 10 questions for the caring nurses. The interviews were recorded on a dictaphone and later written down and brought into a Word document. For the evaluation of the data we used the open coding method using a pencil and paper. After the data analysis we defined the following categories: The Role of Nurses with the subcategory Alterations to the Role of Nurses, category Psychological Support with subcategories Attitude of Nurses, Psychical Needs of Patients, Alterations in Psychical Condition of the Patient, category Reaction to Detection of Vitiligo with the subcategories Reaction of the Patient, Reaction of Patient´s Environment, category Psychological Problems with the subcategories Patients´ Feelings and Solution to the Problems, category First Visit to the Doctor and category Significance of Vitiligo. The research suggests that the most important aspect of the nurses´ help during the patient´s treatment is the educational aspect. The other aspects are in the opinion of our respondents the health care providing aspect, and the help of a nurse as a manager. The evaluation of the life quality questionnaire brought the following results: two respondents saw only a small impact of the disease on their life quality. One respondent stated a slightly worsened quality of life and in one of the respondents the life quality was worsened significantly. According to the interviews, the vitiligo patients are slightly restrained during activities when exposed to sun due to an easy sunburnt. None of the respondents stated an influence on their relationships or hobbies. Two respondents mentioned worries concerning finding a partner and establishing a family. Our research showed that the greatest impact of vitiligo is on the psyche of the patient. Thus we assume that a psychological support should be an essential component of the treatment. I would like to present the results of this bachelor thesis as a review in some professional magazine. I would also be glad if the thesis could be an inspiration to a quantitative research on the topic. |
