title: Psychological effects of a cosmetic education programme in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: Treatments for breast cancer often include interventions related to psychosocial issues such as negative body image, loss of femininity, and low self-esteem. We identified the psychological effects of a cosmetics education programme in patients with breast cancer. Cosmetic programme is a specific care designed to help patients handle appearance-related side effects. Thirty-one women with breast cancer at a university hospital in South Korea who received a cosmetics education programme were compared with 29 subjects in a control group who received the treatment as usual. Psychological factors including distress, self-esteem, and sexual functioning were assessed three times (before and after the programme, and at the 1-month follow-up). After the programme, patients in the treatment group were significantly less likely than those in the control group to rely on distress (P = 0.038) and avoidance coping (P < 0.001) but not on self-esteem. The mean scores in the treatment group for sexual functioning were higher than those in the control group after the treatment. Our results suggest the potential usefulness of a brief cosmetics education programme for reducing distress and reliance on negative coping strategies. Implementing a cosmetics programme for patients with breast cancer may encourage patients to control negative psychological factors.
authors: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
authors: H Y
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5097-532X
authors: HY
authors: Park
authors: Mental Health & Behavioral Medicine Services for Clinical Departments, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Psychology, Duksung Women's University, Seoul.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kang
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Oh
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
authors: J Y
authors: JY
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.
authors: S W
authors: SW
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003358:Cosmetics
keywords: avoidance; breast cancer; cosmetics education programme; distress