Breaking the Silence: Integration of Facial Disfigurement After Surgical Treatment for Cancer

Little is known about the psychosocial effects of facial disfigurement. We present the results of a qualitative study following 15 patients who had been surgically treated for head, neck, or eye cancer over the course of their first postoperative year. Taped nurse–patient conversations and individua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative health research 2012-08, Vol.22 (8), p.1037-1046
Main Authors: Konradsen, Hanne, Kirkevold, Marit, McCallin, Antoinette, Cayé-Thomasen, Per, Zoffmann, Vibeke
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Body Image
Cancer
Communication
Deformities
Face
Face - surgery
Facial Injuries - etiology
Facial Injuries - psychology
Facially disfigured people
Female
Grounded theory
Health technology assessment
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Mental disorders
Middle Aged
Neck
Neoplasms - psychology
Neoplasms - surgery
Postoperative Complications - psychology
Psychosocial factors
Psychosocial problems
Qualitative Research
Social Isolation - psychology
Surgery
Surgical outcomes
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Summary:Little is known about the psychosocial effects of facial disfigurement. We present the results of a qualitative study following 15 patients who had been surgically treated for head, neck, or eye cancer over the course of their first postoperative year. Taped nurse–patient conversations and individual interviews were analyzed using the grounded theory method. The findings revealed that the main concern of the patients was feeling isolated, which was resolved using a process of interactional integration. Interactional integration begins by breaking the silence to enable the progression from a disfigured person to a person with a disfigurement. The model explains the process of adjustment and demonstrates various elements that could be used in interventions targeting patients who experience psychosocial problems.
ISSN:1049-7323
1552-7557
DOI:10.1177/1049732312448545