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Communication dysfunction, body image, and symptom severity in postoperative head and neck cancer patients: factors associated with the amount of speaking after treatment

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships of communication dysfunction, body image, and amount of speaking in patients who were treated for head and neck cancers (HNCs).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of postoperative HNC patients at the otolaryngology outpatient departments of two leading medical centers in northern Taiwan. Data were collected using questionnaires to assess perceived communication dysfunction, body image, symptom severity, and amount of speaking after treatment.

Results

A total of 130 HNC patients were included in the analysis, and 70.8 % of patients reported speaking less after surgery as compared to the period before having HNC surgery. Overall, patients perceived a moderate level of communication dysfunction. Those with higher distress over their body image, higher symptom severity, and with hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer reported speaking less. Patients with advanced stage cancer and a tumor in a facial area and those that received reconstructive surgery were more likely to have a negative body image.

Conclusions

Dissatisfaction with body image, greater symptom severity, and hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer are predictive of the amount HNC patients speak, as compared with the amount they spoke before having HNC. Clinicians should be aware of and systematically assess communication problems of HNC patients to promote their social function. Further research on interventions that facilitate the development of a positive body image and communication is strongly suggested.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant to Professor Yeur-Hur Lai from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in Taiwan. The authors thank all the patients who participated in this study. The authors also thank Richard Sandore for English editing.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Shu-Ching Chen

  2. School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, 1 Jen-Ai Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei, 100, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Po-Jui Yu, Yen-Ju Chen & Yeur-Hur Lai

  3. Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ming-Ying Hong

  4. Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Mei-Hui Chen

  5. Division of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Pen-Yuan Chu

  6. Division of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chen-Ping Wang

  7. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Pen-Yuan Chu

  8. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chen-Ping Wang

Authors
  1. Shu-Ching Chen
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  2. Po-Jui Yu
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  8. Yeur-Hur Lai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yeur-Hur Lai.

Additional information

The first two authors contributed equally to this study.

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Chen, SC., Yu, PJ., Hong, MY. et al. Communication dysfunction, body image, and symptom severity in postoperative head and neck cancer patients: factors associated with the amount of speaking after treatment. Support Care Cancer 23, 2375–2382 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2587-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2587-3

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