Download Ph.D. Student : Lene Seibaek Enrolment : 1 September 2008 Project

Ph.D. Student
Enrolment
Project Title
Supervisors
Institute
Research Unit
: Lene Seibaek
: 1 September 2008
: Health and coping prior to ovarian cancer surgery
: Associate Professor, PhD, Lise Hounsgaard, Research Unit of Nursing,
Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern
Denmark.
Consultant, DMSc. Lone Kjeld Petersen and Consultant, DMSc. Jan Blaakaer,
both of Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital,
Skejby.
: Institute of Clinical Research
: Nursing
Abstract:
Background
Denmark has a record-high mortality rate for ovarian cancer. In 2008 the state issued a guarantee of
early diagnosis and treatment of all cases of suspected cancer, and the surgical treatment has been
centralized and standardized in fast track programmes. However, we do not know how women with
ovarian cancer experience the period prior to surgery and how they prepare optimally for treatment.
Aim
To describe health and coping in Danish women undergoing ovarian cancer surgery.
To study to what extent it is possible to improve health and everyday life during treatment.
Materiels and Methods
The study is conducted within a theoretical framework of hermeneutics, involving the overall
concepts of health promotion and cancer rehabilitation; it takes place at a regional centre of surgical
treatment of gynecological cancer.
It is assumed that women’s self-valued health and coping can be strengthened via supportive,
preoperative optimization, carried out in close contact with the professionals involved in treatment.
The study is carried out in 3 stages: a registry study, an interview study and a clinically controlled
test of the preoperative optimization.
The study period runs from the first visit in the out-patient clinic until eight weeks after discharge.
Results
The study has resulted in socioeconomic and health related descriptions of the population including
the use of health services.
Interview findings have provided knowledge of personal experiences with symptom development,
with the network and of coping strategies during treatment.
The clinical test of the preoperative optimization is on-going.
Funding
The Danish Cancer Society, Psychosocial Research Committee
The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark
The Danish Nurses’ Organization
The Research Foundation of Health Science in Central Denmark Region
The Hede Nielsen Foundation
The Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby
The Research Foundation of Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby
Keywords: Humanistic Health Research