Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Supervisor

Dr. Tom Overend

2nd Supervisor

Dr. Bert Chesworth

Joint Supervisor

Abstract

Abstract:

This study investigates concerns in patients undergoing neck dissection surgery. Forty patients were recruited at Pre-surgery, Discharge and 1-month Post-surgery. The Patient Concerns Inventory - Level of Importance questionnaire (PCI-LOI), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) and the University of Washington - Quality of Life questionnaire (UWQOL) were used.

The study identified "Anxiety" at Pre-surgery and "Appearance" at Discharge and 1-month Post-surgery as the important patient concerns. Patients’ concerns were found to change over time. Support for cross-sectional convergent validity of the PCI-LOI was evidenced by significant correlations between the PCI-LOI and the UWQOL (r = -0.48 and -0.43), and the PCI-LOI and the SPADI (r = 0.45 and 0.57), at Discharge and 1-month Post-surgery, respectively.

Identification of patient concerns and the importance of these concerns should assist health care professionals to respond to the needs of patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery.

Keywords

head and neck cancer, neck dissection surgery, patient concerns, quality of life

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