Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-158). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnoses in women and is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Surgical treatment is indicated in most patients. Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) is a distinctive, persistent and debilitating neuropathic pain syndrome that develops after breast surgery. A review of the literature revealed no studies determining the prevalence of PMPS conducted in South Africa, specifically at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH). A detailed description of the prevalence of PMPS is needed to understand the problem in this patient group which may enable the development of a more effective pain management strategy.

No description available.

Thirty-eight mastectomy patients who reported phantom breasts were compared to 23 women who did not experience these sensations for the purpose of developing a predictive psychological profile of the phantom breast patient. The Adjective Check List, WAIS—short form, Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation Scale—Behavior, a social-medical questionnaire, and a Body Image Scale were administered. The Body Image Scale was also given to 25 women who had not had breast cancer. Hemispheric dominance was also assessed by means of conjugate lateral eye movements.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O cÃncer de mama costuma ser motivo de receio entre as mulheres e para a sociedade, em geral. A simples pronÃncia da palavra cÃncer gera na populaÃÃo feminina sentimentos de medo, tristeza, ansiedade e negaÃÃo, devido ao elevado Ãndice de morbimortalidade e tambÃm de mutilaÃÃo decorrente da doenÃa, que sempre compromete a auto-estima, a interaÃÃo social, os relacionamentos afetivos e a vida profissional de quem à acometido. Portanto, conhecer de que modo lidam com o fato de terem um familiar com neoplasia mamÃria, foi a inquietaÃÃo que motivou a realizaÃÃo deste estudo, que teve como objetivos desvelar os significados que as famÃlias de mulheres mastectomizadas constroem e que orientam suas aÃÃes ao cuidar delas e apresentar um modelo teÃrico acerca do cuidado prestado pelas famÃlias à mulher mastectomizada. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa que utilizou como referencial teÃrico o Interacionismo SimbÃlico e a Teoria Fundamentada em dados Grounded Teory como referencial metodolÃgico. A coleta de dados aconteceu no mÃs de julho de 2008, em uma instituiÃÃo de referÃncia no tratamento do cÃncer. Utilizamos como estratÃgia para a coleta de dados, a entrevista com onze familiares de mulheres mastectomizadas. Obtivemos, entÃo, os dados que apÃs a anÃlise, permitiram a criaÃÃo da teoria central: Significado do cuidado familiar à mulher mastectomizada, a qual constitui-se de fenÃmenos distintos que se inter-relacionam: CompreensÃo da famÃlia sobre a mastectomia, que se caracteriza revelando como a famÃlia se sente diante de um familiar com cÃncer e ao cuidar de uma mulher mastectomizada; as dificuldades da famÃlia para cuidar, cuja finalidade à demonstrar as mudanÃas ocorridas na famÃlia, sejam elas, financeiras ou no papel social familiar modificado; compreendendo o diagnÃstico de cÃncer na famÃlia, em que se percebe a dimensÃo do impacto do diagnÃstico do cÃncer de mama, atingindo nÃo somente a mulher, mas todo o seio familiar e o cuidado familiar apÃs a cirurgia, que enfatiza como mulher e famÃlia buscam superar as limitaÃÃes enquanto pessoas interagindo no grupo familiar acometido pelo cÃncer de mama. Em nossa opiniÃo, o cuidado em famÃlia requer o envolvimento verdadeiro e afetuoso, envolver-se e acreditar que sua presenÃa à tÃo importante quanto à realizaÃÃo de procedimentos tÃcnicos. Como ressaltamos, nem sempre os conhecimentos tÃcnicos objetivos funcionam tÃo bem diante de situaÃÃes de estresse como os conhecimentos subjetivos que se revelam na dinÃmica familiar. / The breast cancer used to be reason of fear between the women and in all the society, in general. The simple pronunciation of the word cancer, already generates in the feminine population feeling of fear, sadness, anxiety and negation, which had to the raised index of morbid-mortality and also of decurrent mutilation of the illness, that always compromises the auto-esteem, the social interaction, the affective relationships and the professional life of who it is under attack. It enters the familiar ones of the patients with cancer, is not different. The feelings and reactions generated ahead of the confirmation of if having a relative with mammary neoplasms, cause a series of feelings that many times modify all the familiar dynamics. The doubts, questionings, changes of papers and alterations in the routine of the family, are frequent and many times, the psychological unpreparedness to deal with the new condition of the dear person, bring doubts and frustrations. Therefore, to know of that way these families deal with the fact of if having a with mammary neoplasms, it was the fidget that motivated the accomplishment of this study, that had as objectives to discovering the meanings that the families of mastectomized women construct and that they guide its action when taking care of it and to present a theoretical model concerning the care given for the families to the mastectomized woman. One is about a descriptive study with qualitative boarding that it used as review theoretician the Symbolic Interactionism and the Theory Based on data Grounded Teory as frameworks metodological. The collection of data happened in the month of July of 2008, in an institution of reference in the treatment of the cancer. We use as strategy for the collection of data, the interview with eleven family caregivers ones of mastectomized women. We got then, the data that after the analysis, had allowed the creation of the central theory: Meaning of the familiary care to the mastectomized woman, which consists of distinct phenomena that if across: Understanding of the family on the mastectomy, that it is characterized disclosing as the family if it feels ahead of a family caregivers one with cancer and when taking care of a mastectomized woman; The difficulties of the family to take care of, whose purpose is to demonstrate the occured changes in the family, are they, financial or in the modified familiar social paper; Understanding the diagnosis of cancer in the family, where it is perceived dimension of the impact of the diagnosis of the breast cancer, reaching not only the woman, but all the familial sinus and the familiar care after the surgery, that emphasizes as woman and family searchs to surpass the limitations while people interacting in the familiar group under attack by the breast cancer. In our opinion, the care in family requires the true and affectionate envolvement, to become involved themselves and to believe that its presence is so important how much the accomplishment of procedures technician. As we stand out, nor always the objective knowledge technician function so well ahead of situations of stress as the subjective knowledge that if disclose in the familiar dynamics.

Title: The influence of woman's masectomy on breathing movements Objectives: The aim of this work is to investigate influence of total mastectomy on range of breathing motion. We compare women after mastectomy and healthy women. The next goal is to investigate presence of asymetry these movements between surgical and nonsurgical side. We again compare results of women after mastectomy and healthy women. I would like to point to need of care for the scar, thanks to which we can minimize its negative effects. Methods: In our thesis we used optoelectronic kinematic analyzer Qualisys to measure range of motion of thoracic and abdominal wall during breathing. We made measurement during quiet and deep breathing. More facts about patient's condition we obtained through kinesiology examination. Results: We found out that total mastectomy have an effect on range of breathing motion in women after this operation. The surgery side show lower range of motion during breathing. It means that we found presence of asymmetry theses movements between surgical and nonsurgical side. The biggest asymmetry was present in third line (cca level of fifth rib). These findings we can see during quiet and deep breathing and prove our claim about the need of care for scar. Keywords: breathing movements, total mastectomy,...

Sixteen women who had had hysterectomies and eighteen women who had had mastectomies were mailed the Oregon Sex Inventory to see if any significant differences in sexual behavior occurred before or after surgery. The mastectomy group showed a greater degree of change in their sexual behavior than the hysterectomy group. The mastectomy group reported a decrease in the importance of the breast during the sexual act after surgery and a decrease in their desire for intercourse after surgery. The hysterectomy group reported lowered sexual satisfaction after surgery. The changes reported in this study although relatively small are statistically significant. The sample, because of the high income and education level may reflect some bias. The questionnaires were randomly sent but the women in both groups who responded seem to represent a definite socio-economic class of our society. It is of interest to note that this is the first research study done on mastectomies that used a control group.