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Frontiers in Psychology 2022Hundreds of thousands of individuals experience traumatic injuries each year. Some are mild to moderate in nature and patients experience full functional recovery and... (Review)
Review
Hundreds of thousands of individuals experience traumatic injuries each year. Some are mild to moderate in nature and patients experience full functional recovery and little change to their physical appearance. Others result in enduring, if not permanent, changes in physical functioning and appearance. Reconstructive plastic surgical procedures are viable treatments options for many patients who have experienced the spectrum of traumatic injuries. The goal of these procedures is to restore physical functioning and reduce the psychosocial burden of living with an appearance that may be viewed negatively by the patient or by others. Even after receipt of reconstructive procedures, many patients are left with residual disfigurement. In some, disability and disfigurement may be so profound that individuals are candidates for vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) procedures, i.e., the transplantation of a vascularized human body part containing multiple tissue types (skin, muscle, bone, nerves, and blood vessels) as an anatomical and/or structural unit. This narrative review paper summarizes the literature on the psychosocial burden experienced by those who have visible disfigurement. While many of these individuals experience stigma and discrimination, relatively few studies have employed a stigma framework to understand the psychosocial sequelea. This paper briefly addresses this framework. Last, particular focus is given to the psychosocial issues of individuals with particularly severe injuries who are potential candidates for VCA procedures.
PubMed: 36110275
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.979574 -
South African Family Practice :... Oct 2021Leprosy (Hansen's disease) can affect multiple organs and body structures. Skin signs are typically observed in the early phase of the disease, hence being the first... (Review)
Review
Leprosy (Hansen's disease) can affect multiple organs and body structures. Skin signs are typically observed in the early phase of the disease, hence being the first identifiable signs to propel clinical suspicion. Leprosy predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. The disease has been documented many centuries preceding the biblical era. Over many decades, the classification of Hansen's disease has changed as modern medical science evolved. Patients with leprosy are usually subjected to discrimination, rejection from society and can suffer from social stigma, poor quality of life (QoL), low self-esteem and permanent disfigurements. Studies have shown that leprosy has a significant negative impact on the patients' QoL. Leprosy is often not suspected by practicing clinicians because it is no longer emphasised in the medical curricula. In modern years, attention has gradually shifted from leprosy to tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Topics: Affect; Bible; Humans; Leprosy; Quality of Life; Social Stigma
PubMed: 34797098
DOI: 10.4102/safp.v63i1.5311 -
Nursing TimesBody-image disturbance, as a consequence of disfigurement, affects a large number of people in the UK, yet there is little research into the psychosocial consequences.... (Review)
Review
Body-image disturbance, as a consequence of disfigurement, affects a large number of people in the UK, yet there is little research into the psychosocial consequences. There is evidence that many of the psychological difficulties can be likened to phobic behaviour, particularly in social situations. A fear-avoidance model of psychosocial difficulties following disfigurement is, therefore, potentially useful to nurses working in a variety of settings. The first of two articles on disfigurement explores some of the background to the fear-avoidance model.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Attitude to Health; Avoidance Learning; Body Image; Congenital Abnormalities; Fear; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Models, Psychological; Nurse's Role; Prejudice; Social Behavior; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 11993354
DOI: No ID Found -
European Journal of Cancer Care Jan 2021An emerging body of work has reported on the psychological impact of disfigurement on cancer patients; however, the extent of research focusing on stigmatisation in this... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
An emerging body of work has reported on the psychological impact of disfigurement on cancer patients; however, the extent of research focusing on stigmatisation in this context is unclear. This review aimed to evaluate how stigma associated with disfigurement impacts on cancer patients.
METHODS
A systematic review of literature was conducted using SCOPUS, Web of Science, MEDLINE and PubMed databases. Articles were included if they described a qualitative or quantitative study that investigated the impact of stigma and disfigurement on individuals with cancer and/or their families. Included studies were appraised for methodology and narratively synthesised.
RESULTS
Of the 16 studies which met the inclusion criteria, ten were qualitative and six were quantitative. Publication dates ranged from 1994 to 2020. Results highlighted the varying impact of felt and enacted stigma in people with cancer disfigurement. While individuals cope with stigma in different ways and outcomes can sometimes be positive, most articles documented a negative impact to well-being including emotions such as disgust and shame.
CONCLUSION
This review identified negative and (sometimes) positive consequences of disfigurement and stigma on cancer patients; however, the main finding is that relevant research is in its infancy. Several areas of future research are warranted.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Humans; Neoplasms; Shame; Social Stigma; Stereotyping
PubMed: 32896036
DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13327 -
Journal of Health Psychology Sep 2017Noma disease often results in impairment, morbidity and severe facial disfigurement. This article reports a systematic review of literatures published between 2006 and... (Review)
Review
Noma disease often results in impairment, morbidity and severe facial disfigurement. This article reports a systematic review of literatures published between 2006 and 2015 to establish existing knowledge about social stigma associated with facial disfigurements. Five databases were searched and 114 citations were screened, of which only 15 met the relevant criteria. Titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles were independently reviewed. The research was heterogeneous; therefore, overall synthesis using meta-analysis was inappropriate. It can be seen that the review demonstrates that facial disfigurements are far more complex than was previously thought.
Topics: Humans; Noma; Social Stigma
PubMed: 26837690
DOI: 10.1177/1359105315624751 -
Social Work in Health Care 2004People who suffer facial disfigurement as a result of head and neck cancer experience profound psychological trauma. This article will describe the role that the face... (Review)
Review
People who suffer facial disfigurement as a result of head and neck cancer experience profound psychological trauma. This article will describe the role that the face plays in an individual's sense of self and body integrity; the psychological impact on self-esteem; physiological dysfunction with or without disfigurement that pose obstacles to meaningful therapeutic communication; implications for individual and group psychotherapy; and tasks of psychological recovery related to a transformed sense of face, body, and self.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Body Image; Face; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Male; Models, Psychological; Postoperative Complications; Psychotherapy, Group; Quality of Life; Social Support; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 15774364
DOI: 10.1300/j010v40n02_05 -
Clinical Psychology Review Jul 2001This paper reviews current psychological understandings of the process of adjustment to acquired and congenital disfiguring conditions, such as burns, dermatological... (Review)
Review
This paper reviews current psychological understandings of the process of adjustment to acquired and congenital disfiguring conditions, such as burns, dermatological diseases, and cleft palate. It is primarily aimed at researchers and clinicians interested in understanding and ameliorating the psychosocial impact of such disfigurements. The literature was accessed using psychological, medical, and nursing databases. The research indicates that the experience of disfigurement is multifaceted, involving individual and societal factors. The adjustment process involves the way that disfigured people interpret their disfigurement, their self, and their encounters with others. These interpretations are likely to be influenced by the interaction between various underlying cognitive self-schemas and the social context. Efficacious interventions provide disfigured people with practical strategies to deal with social encounters and/or tackle underlying cognitive processes. However, many of the studies examined were methodologically limited or uninformed by psychological theory. Future research is needed to gain a better appreciation of the experience of living with a disfigurement and to inform the development of effective clinical interventions. In particular, there is a need for studies using longitudinal and qualitative methologies, as this would foster greater understanding of the psychological and emotional processes involved in adjusting to disfiguring conditions.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Body Image; Cognition; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Craniofacial Abnormalities; Cultural Characteristics; Facial Injuries; Humans; Social Behavior; Social Support
PubMed: 11434225
DOI: 10.1016/s0272-7358(00)00056-8 -
Body Image Sep 2013Self-help has been found to be efficacious in treating mood disorders, however, little is known about its use, effectiveness, or user satisfaction, in reducing distress... (Review)
Review
Self-help has been found to be efficacious in treating mood disorders, however, little is known about its use, effectiveness, or user satisfaction, in reducing distress associated with disfigurement. This review describes the content and focus of self-help interventions available in this area. A systematic search and appraisal protocol facilitated identification of studies, extraction of data, and appraisal of quality. Clinical trials were included if the primary method of intervention delivery was via self-help. Other types of study were included if they investigated user perspectives of a self-help intervention. Eleven studies covering a range of populations met the inclusion criteria. There is tentative support for the use of self-help to manage anxiety associated with disfigurement but little is known about the management of other psychosocial difficulties. Further research and intervention development is required to examine the effectiveness, acceptability, and utility of self-help in managing the appearance related distress associated with disfigurement.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Anxiety Disorders; Body Image; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Craniofacial Abnormalities; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Male; Psoriasis; Quality of Life; Self Care; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 23962642
DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.07.005