Modification of Perceived Body And of Body Concepts*

Psychosocial Sequelae of Ostomies in Cancer Patients

“…This myth has long ago been dispelled. 55 Correct infor mation given empathetically is one of the best ways to lead the cancer patient through the experience of living with an ostomy. Another important principle is to listen and to detect psychosocial problems early, so that they can be confronted and treated be fore they become fixed.…”

Adjusting to bodily change following stoma formation: a phenomenological study

“…The transferability of these previous studies is limited by a focus on specific diagnoses and limited follow-up, with Kelly [9] adopting a retrospective approach and McVey et al [17] exploring the experience of stoma formation for cancer prospectively but only up to three months following surgery. An interruption to general physical function, in particular pain and mobility, is most common in the immediate post-operative period [21,29,9,17,41] but what needs to be acknowledged more fully is that mastering general bodily function continues to 20 impact on social reintegration for individuals with a new stoma at a year or more following their surgery.…”

“…In other studies the experience of bodily change has been described in broad themes relating to loss of wholeness [12], practical stoma management [9,13,14], self-care [15], adapting to change [16], personal control [17,18] and feeling different [19]. Profound feelings of self-deprecation and self-hatred, with reactions of shock, disgust and repulsion are not uncommon among people after undergoing stoma-forming surgery [20,21,15,10,13,11]. Alienation or distance from the body may be experienced [22,9,13,19].…”

“…Others use the concept of body image when interpreting data, but are at risk of overlooking the broader changes that a person may experience [13,11,19]. Orbach & Tallent [21], Kelly [9] and Manderson [16] offer a more in-depth exploration of subjective bodily change following stoma formation. Orbach and Tallent [21:126] have highlighted, "a revision of perceived body and of body concepts," but do not explore the relationship between body and self.…”

Psychic Factors Determining the Long-Term Adaptation of Colostomy and Ileostomy Patients

“…Many clini cians maintain that there is considerable ex perience with colostomy and ileostomy pa tients in a hospital environment or during the convalescent period, but the long-term effects of the operation have been underesti mated [Devlin et al, 1971], Studies dealing with the later adjustment of the patients are mainly concerned with the practical ques tion related to the function and management of the ileostomy or colostomy. Sexual and social adjustment as well as problems of changed body image have been touched on [Burnham et al, 1977;Devlin et al, 1971;D nm etal., 1968Gruener et al, 1977;Lenneberg, 1971;Orbach and Tallent, 1965] but only as a matter of secondary impor tance. Psychic problems connected with the operation and convalescent have been dealt with more accurately by Dyk and Sutherland [1956], Morrow [1976], Sutherland et al [1952] and Wirsching et al [1975Wirsching et al [ , 1977, but the personality factors determining adapta tion have not been given a great deal of atten tion.…”