Learning Objective #1: understand body image and depression of women with thyroidectomy

Learning Objective #2: identify necessity of nursing intervention to increase positive body image and reduce depression

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare climacteric symptoms, body image, and depression among middle-aged women with and without thyroidectomy. Methods: The research design was a comparative descriptive study using a self-report questionnaire. A total of 82 women aged 40~59 years participated. Of them, 42 women in a one year period of partial thyroidectomy were recruited from one general hospital, and using convenient sampling 40 women without thyroidectomy participated. The inclusion criteria for women with partial thyroidectomy were no medical diagnosis of thyroid cancer, and agreed to be participated. The instruments were Korean version of climacteric symptoms(Hyun, 2002), Korean version of CESD(Chon et al, 2005), and Korean version of Body Image Concern Inventory(Kim et al, 2006). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ÷2-test and correlation analysis. Results: There were no significantly differences of age, education between women with and without thyroidectomy so that the demographic characteristics of two groups were homogenous. There were significantly statistical difference of body image(t=7.14, p=.00), and depression(t=4.05, p=.00) between women with and without thyroidectomy. There was, however, no significantly difference of climacteric symptoms between two groups. In addition, in women with thyroidectomy, no significant associations were found among climacteric symptoms, body image, and depression. Conclusions: Findings of this study may be useful in understanding body image and depression of women with thyroidectomy, and thus developing more specific strategies for nursing intervention to increase positive body image and reduce depression.