Study of Relationships between the Laryngectomee's Body Image and Patient Education Outcomes

摘要

A methodology is discussed for determining the relationships between a laryngectomy patient's body image, knowledge of the treatment process, and adherence to a post-operation self-care regimen. Information is presented on nurse education in this area prior to patient contact. The first portion of the report deals with the components and importance of an individual's body image, the actual physical and psychological effects of a laryngectomy, and various patient responses to a disfiguring operation. The latter portion of the report outlines and explains certain steps taken to determine the abovementioned relationships. A 350-bed hospital with a small head and neck service is proposed as the study site. The Body Cathexis Scale was chosen to measure the body images of patients, and three tools are proposed to rate patient's knowledge of their treatment process: admission, pre-operative, and post-operative tests. A post-hospitalization test is proposed for administration two weeks after discharge to determine level of adherence to a self-care regimen.