Purpose: To evaluate the effects of psychological adjustment intervention on psychological effects of appearance change, thereby affecting the body image, and formation psychological distress in cancer patients receiving anti-cancer treatment.
Methods: A systematic review approach was used. Searches were conducted in databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, ProQuest, and Airiti Library using the keywords “cancer”, “psychological distress”, “body image”, “psychosocial adjustment”, “psychosocial intervention”, “psychosocial effectiveness”. The search focused on articles published before August 2017. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 5 articles involving relevant randomized controlled trials were extracted for review.
Results: All five randomization clinical trials with 390 cancer patients (breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancer) received psychological adjustment interventions. The results showed that different psychological adjustment intervention such as appearance modification, yoga, mindfulness program and website self-help, the intervention program, duration and frequency are different; some of the body changes and psychological distress was improved, but still need more samples and a longer period of time to carry out the feasibility of research measures.
Conclusions/Implications for practice: Body image changes and psychological distress even if use of exercise, appearance modification, mindfulness program or website self-help, still need to intervene and observe a long time to improve the patient's views on the self. This review is intended to provide a reference for clinical care. Cancer patients face chalenges that do not end with treatment completion, learn how to self-acceptance is the common responsibility of patients and health care workers. Improvement of body image and psychological distress may improve the quality of life of cancer.
See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions: Oral Paper & Posters