Journal
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Volume 12, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/bs12040101
Keywords
oncological surgery; psychological intervention; narrative method; quality of life; financial toxicity; health; MADIT methodology
Categories
Funding
- Humanitas Research Hospital
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV IRCCS
- Fondazione Morgagni (Padova, Italy)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study improved patients' postoperative daily life management after esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer surgery through psychological intervention, resulting in a higher rate of job retention and lower need for financial support post-surgery.
There is a high postoperative morbidity rate after cancer surgery, that impairs patients' self-management, job condition and economic strength. This paper describes the results of a peculiar psychological intervention on patients undergoing surgery for esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer. The intervention aimed to enhance patients' competences in the management of postoperative daily life. A narrative approach (M.A.D.I.T.-Methodology for the Analysis of Computerised Text Data) was used to create a questionnaire, Health and Employment after Gastro-Intestinal Surgery-Dialogical Questionnaire, HEAGIS-DQ, that assesses four competences. It was administered to 48 participants. Results were used as guidance for specific intervention, structured on patients' competence profiles. The intervention lasted nine months after surgery and was structured in weekly to monthly therapeutic sessions. Quality of Life questionnaires were administered too. At the end of the intervention, 94% of patients maintained their job and only 10% of patients asked for financial support. The mean self-perception of health-related quality of life was 71.2. The distribution of three of four competences increased after nine months (p < 0.05). Despite economic difficulties due to lasting symptoms after surgery, and to the current pandemic scenario, a structured intervention with patients let them to resume their jobs and continue activities after surgery.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available