“Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology
Background: The introduction of aesthetic care programs for cancer patients inside hospitals could help patients cope with the side effects of both disease and treatment. The specific objective of this study is to evaluate whether a complementary and supportive program, called “Health in the Mirror,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01633/full |
| _version_ | 1818297368526716928 |
|---|---|
| author | Valentina E. Di Mattei Valentina E. Di Mattei Letizia Carnelli Letizia Carnelli Paola Taranto Martina Bernardi Chiara Brombin Federica Cugnata Angela Noviello Morag Currin Giorgia Mangili Emanuela Rabaiotti Lucio Sarno Lucio Sarno Massimo Candiani Massimo Candiani |
| author_facet | Valentina E. Di Mattei Valentina E. Di Mattei Letizia Carnelli Letizia Carnelli Paola Taranto Martina Bernardi Chiara Brombin Federica Cugnata Angela Noviello Morag Currin Giorgia Mangili Emanuela Rabaiotti Lucio Sarno Lucio Sarno Massimo Candiani Massimo Candiani |
| author_sort | Valentina E. Di Mattei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The introduction of aesthetic care programs for cancer patients inside hospitals could help patients cope with the side effects of both disease and treatment. The specific objective of this study is to evaluate whether a complementary and supportive program, called “Health in the Mirror,” has a positive effect on participants by analyzing certain psychological variables.Methods: Eighty-eight female cancer patients were included in this analysis. The support program is composed of three group aesthetic interventions that address both physical and psychological aspects that accompany cancer and its treatment. Patients were asked to complete a battery of tests in order to measure the impact of the program on certain psychological variables including anxiety, depression, body image, self-esteem, and quality of life. Outcome variables were measured at three different time-points: prior to participation, on the last day of the program, and after a 3-month follow-up.Results: Participating in the psychosocial support program “Health in the Mirror” determines an improvement in the psychological variables measured. Results revealed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, anxiety and body image issues, as well as an improvement in self-esteem levels; this suggests that participating in this program could facilitate better adjustment to disease and treatment.Discussion: This study legitimizes the importance of implementing supportive and complementary therapies together with conventional therapies; the therapeutic approach to cancer cannot be restricted solely to medical care, but it must consider the patient as a whole person with needs that are not only physical or medical, but also psychological, social, and existential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:18:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d68b3d618e0040a3bf7ab6b2a53bb0b9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:18:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d68b3d618e0040a3bf7ab6b2a53bb0b92022-12-21T23:59:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-09-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.01633281683“Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in OncologyValentina E. Di Mattei0Valentina E. Di Mattei1Letizia Carnelli2Letizia Carnelli3Paola Taranto4Martina Bernardi5Chiara Brombin6Federica Cugnata7Angela Noviello8Morag Currin9Giorgia Mangili10Emanuela Rabaiotti11Lucio Sarno12Lucio Sarno13Massimo Candiani14Massimo Candiani15Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyClinical and Health Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyFaculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyClinical and Health Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyClinical and Health Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyLanguages Department, University of ParmaParma, ItalyUniversity Centre of Statistics in the Biomedical Sciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyUniversity Centre of Statistics in the Biomedical Sciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyOncology Training InternationalBalgonie, SK, CanadaOncology Training InternationalBalgonie, SK, CanadaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyFaculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyClinical and Health Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalMilan, ItalyFaculty of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilan, ItalyBackground: The introduction of aesthetic care programs for cancer patients inside hospitals could help patients cope with the side effects of both disease and treatment. The specific objective of this study is to evaluate whether a complementary and supportive program, called “Health in the Mirror,” has a positive effect on participants by analyzing certain psychological variables.Methods: Eighty-eight female cancer patients were included in this analysis. The support program is composed of three group aesthetic interventions that address both physical and psychological aspects that accompany cancer and its treatment. Patients were asked to complete a battery of tests in order to measure the impact of the program on certain psychological variables including anxiety, depression, body image, self-esteem, and quality of life. Outcome variables were measured at three different time-points: prior to participation, on the last day of the program, and after a 3-month follow-up.Results: Participating in the psychosocial support program “Health in the Mirror” determines an improvement in the psychological variables measured. Results revealed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, anxiety and body image issues, as well as an improvement in self-esteem levels; this suggests that participating in this program could facilitate better adjustment to disease and treatment.Discussion: This study legitimizes the importance of implementing supportive and complementary therapies together with conventional therapies; the therapeutic approach to cancer cannot be restricted solely to medical care, but it must consider the patient as a whole person with needs that are not only physical or medical, but also psychological, social, and existential.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01633/fullsupportive carecomplementary therapycancerwomenoncology aestheticsHealth in the Mirror |
| spellingShingle | Valentina E. Di Mattei Valentina E. Di Mattei Letizia Carnelli Letizia Carnelli Paola Taranto Martina Bernardi Chiara Brombin Federica Cugnata Angela Noviello Morag Currin Giorgia Mangili Emanuela Rabaiotti Lucio Sarno Lucio Sarno Massimo Candiani Massimo Candiani “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology Frontiers in Psychology supportive care complementary therapy cancer women oncology aesthetics Health in the Mirror |
| title | “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology |
| title_full | “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology |
| title_fullStr | “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology |
| title_short | “Health in the Mirror”: An Unconventional Approach to Unmet Psychological Needs in Oncology |
| title_sort | health in the mirror an unconventional approach to unmet psychological needs in oncology |
| topic | supportive care complementary therapy cancer women oncology aesthetics Health in the Mirror |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01633/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT valentinaedimattei healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT valentinaedimattei healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT letiziacarnelli healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT letiziacarnelli healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT paolataranto healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT martinabernardi healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT chiarabrombin healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT federicacugnata healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT angelanoviello healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT moragcurrin healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT giorgiamangili healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT emanuelarabaiotti healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT luciosarno healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT luciosarno healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT massimocandiani healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology AT massimocandiani healthinthemirroranunconventionalapproachtounmetpsychologicalneedsinoncology |