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European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

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01-04-2010 | Head & Neck

Social withdrawal after laryngectomy

Authors: Helge Danker, Dorit Wollbrück, Susanne Singer, Michael Fuchs, Elmar Brähler, Alexandra Meyer

Published in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology | Issue 4/2010

Abstract

This investigation focuses on the psychosocial concomitants of a laryngectomy. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 218 laryngectomized patients. Standardised questionnaires were used to assess patients’ social activity (FPAL, EORTC QLQ-C30), intelligibility of speech (PLTT, FPAL), mental well-being (HADS), and perceived stigmatisation (FPAL). More than 40% of the patients withdrew from conversation. Only one-third of all patients regularly took part in social activities. About 87% perceived stigmatisation because of their changed voice and more than 50% felt embarrassed because of their tracheostoma. Almost one-third of the patients had increased anxiety and depression scores. Moderate objective speech intelligibility was found, though patients were not particularly satisfied with their voice. Social activity emerged to be independent from age, gender, treatment variables, and stage of disease. Multivariate analysis resulted in two independent factors representing two patterns of social withdrawal. On the one hand, there was withdrawal from conversation accompanied by increased depression and poor speech intelligibility. On the other hand, there were reduced social activities accompanied by increased anxiety and perceived stigmatisation.

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Title: Social withdrawal after laryngectomy
Authors: Helge Danker
Dorit Wollbrück
Susanne Singer
Michael Fuchs
Elmar Brähler
Alexandra Meyer
Publication date: 01-04-2010
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology / Issue 4/2010
Print ISSN: 0937-4477
Electronic ISSN: 1434-4726
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-1087-4

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Social withdrawal after laryngectomy

Abstract

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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