Mental Representations of Illness in Patients with Gestational Trophoblastic Disease: How Do Patients Perceive Their Condition?

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease comprises a group of benign and malignant disorders that derive from the placenta. Using Leventhal's Common-Sense Model as a theoretical framework, this paper examines illness perception in women who have been diagnosed with this disease. Thirty-one women diagn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2016-04, Vol.11 (4), p.e0153869-e0153869
Main Authors: Di Mattei, Valentina E, Carnelli, Letizia, Mazzetti, Martina, Bernardi, Martina, Di Pierro, Rossella, Bergamini, Alice, Mangili, Giorgia, Candiani, Massimo, Sarno, Lucio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Biology and Life Sciences
Breast cancer
Cancer therapies
Care and treatment
Chemotherapy
Complications and side effects
Coping
Female
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease - diagnosis
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease - psychology
Gynecology
Health aspects
Health psychology
Humans
Hydatidiform mole
Illnesses
Information sources
Italy
Medical diagnosis
Medicine and Health Sciences
Obstetrics
Patients
Perception
Perceptions
Placenta
Pregnancy
Pregnant women
Psychological aspects
Representations
Research and Analysis Methods
Social Sciences
Trophoblastic disease
Trophoblastic tumors
Womens health
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Summary:Gestational Trophoblastic Disease comprises a group of benign and malignant disorders that derive from the placenta. Using Leventhal's Common-Sense Model as a theoretical framework, this paper examines illness perception in women who have been diagnosed with this disease. Thirty-one women diagnosed with Gestational Trophoblastic Disease in a hospital in Italy were asked to complete the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised to measure the following: illness Identity, illness opinions and causes of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. High mean scores were observed in the Emotional representations and Treatment control subscales. A significant difference emerged between hydatidiform mole patients and those with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia on the Identity subscale. A significant correlation emerged between "time since diagnosis" and the Treatment control subscale. This study is the first to investigate illness perception in Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. From a clinical perspective the results highlight the need for multidisciplinary support programs to promote a more realistic illness perception.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0153869