| Item type: | Article | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journal or Publication Title: | Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics | ||||
| Publisher: | SPRINGER HEIDELBERG | ||||
| Place of Publication: | HEIDELBERG | ||||
| Volume: | 296 | ||||
| Number of Issue or Book Chapter: | 4 | ||||
| Page Range: | pp. 827-834 | ||||
| Date: | 2017 | ||||
| Institutions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe (Schwerpunkt Frauenheilkunde) Human Sciences > Institut für Psychologie > Lehrstuhl für Psychologie III (Biologische, Klinische und Rehabilitationspsychologie) - Prof. Dr. Klaus W. Lange | ||||
| Identification Number: |
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| Keywords: | QUALITY-OF-LIFE; BODY-IMAGE; CANCER PATIENTS; PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT; DECISION-MAKING; IMPACT; SURGERY; IMMEDIATE; SEXUALITY; WOMEN; Breast cancer; Breast reconstruction; Femininity; Sexuality; Satisfaction; Impairments | ||||
| Dewey Decimal Classification: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine | ||||
| Status: | Published | ||||
| Refereed: | Yes, this version has been refereed | ||||
| Created at the University of Regensburg: | Yes | ||||
| Item ID: | 39757 |
Web of ScienceAbstract
Breast cancer patients have the option to choose a breast reconstruction after mastectomy. A range of studies have postulated that patients' individually appraised significance of their breast is an important factor in the decision for or against breast reconstruction. This study explored the individually perceived significance of the breast among patients with and without breast reconstruction ...
Abstract
Breast cancer patients have the option to choose a breast reconstruction after mastectomy. A range of studies have postulated that patients' individually appraised significance of their breast is an important factor in the decision for or against breast reconstruction. This study explored the individually perceived significance of the breast among patients with and without breast reconstruction and its correlation with postoperative satisfaction. Ten patients without breast reconstruction, and ten patients with immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy participated in the study. The perceived importance of the breast and the pre-and postoperative esthetic satisfaction of the patients were obtained using an 11-point Likert scale. Qualitative interviews explored patients' views on the meaning of their breast and their experience after surgery. Patients who had decided for breast reconstruction rated the importance of their breast for femininity (p = 0.004) and attractiveness (p = 0.037) significantly higher than patients without reconstruction. The qualitative data provide evidence that the breast of a woman fulfills a variety of intrapsychic and interactional functions. Difficulties in integrating the reconstructed breast into the body image were reported. A high importance of the breast correlated significantly with a decrease in satisfaction with the breast after reconstruction (rs = -0.652, p = 0.041). Patients who found their breast to be highly important were more likely to decide for a reconstruction. Mastectomy has an impact on various psychosocial variables but impairments may also occur after breast reconstruction. Patients reporting a high significance of their breast showed the greatest decrease in satisfaction with their breast after reconstruction.
Metadata last modified: 25 Nov 2020 15:47
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