| Summary: | Head and neck cancer comprises four percent of all cancers.
Clearly, individuals diagnosed with this type of cancer must cope not only
with the diagnosis of cancer and the related fears, but also with the
apprehension associated with the acquired facial disfigurement and related
functional impairment resulting from the radical surgical treatment.
A review of the literature revealed that nursing research which
focusses on understanding people's perceptions and experiences with facial
disfigurement after having had radical surgery for head and neck cancer is
nonexistent. The impact of this type of cancer and its social implications
must be far-reaching considering the emphasis placed on appearance,
particularly by people in North American society. This study addressed the
need for an increased understanding of the lived experiences of individuals
with this type of acquired facial disfigurement.
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and
describe the perspectives and experiences of people living with facial
disfigurement following surgery for head and neck cancer. In addition,
the study examined and described the meaning of the disfigurement for
these individuals and the impact of their altered facial appearance on their
interpersonal relationships and functional abilities. Four men and four women volunteers were selected as participants
for the study from among patients being seen at the British Columbia
Cancer Agency. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently by
means of indepth interviews, guided by open-ended questions. Field notes
and the audio-taped interviews, which were transcribed verbatim, yielded
the data for analyses.
Two principal themes constitute the research findings: loss and
stigma. All of the participants experienced numerous, compound losses as
a result of radical head and neck surgery. During the immediate
postoperative period, the losses were primarily functional, but as recovery
proceeded, the losses became more social in nature. The second theme,
stigma, which is an attribute considered by others as discrediting, was
experienced by the participants throughout the entire recovery period.
Stigma protracted the illness experience and multiplied the losses,
particularly social losses. In order to cope with their situations, the
participants developed several coping strategies to deal with the losses and
stigma associated with cancer and facial disfigurement.
The findings are discussed in conjunction with relevant literature.
Implications for nursing practice and education are identified.
Recommendations are made for future research based on this study.
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