title: Psychosocial effects of a skin camouflage program in female survivors with head and neck cancer: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a skin camouflage program on disfigurement, self-esteem, social interaction, and body image in female head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.
  
  
  
  A prospective, repeated-measures, randomized controlled therapeutic intervention design was used. A total of 66 participants were randomly assigned to each group, with 32 in the experimental group and 34 in the control group. The experimental group received a 4-session skin camouflage program, and the control group received routine care. Patients were assessed at 3 time points: baseline assessment (T0) and then at 1, 2, and 3 months (T1, T2, and T3, respectively) after participating in the skin camouflage program.
  
  
  
  Patients in the experimental group had significantly less facial disfigurement, depression, fear of social interaction, and anxiety regarding social interaction compared with those in the control group. Participants in both groups had significantly lower levels of facial disfigurement, depression, fear of social interaction, anxiety of social interaction, and body image at the final posttest assessment than at the pretest assessment. There were no differences between the groups and within groups with respect to self-esteem.
  
  
  
  The 3-month skin camouflage program effectively improved facial disfigurement, fear of social interaction, anxiety of social interaction, and body image of female HNC survivors. A survival care plan should include a skin camouflage program to improve body image perception and decrease anxiety after treatment of HNC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bing-Shen
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kang-Hsing
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Joseph Tung-Chien
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yeur-Hur
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept
keywords: body image; disfigurement; head and neck cancer; oncology; skin camouflage program; survivor