Summarize Research Articles
A Qualitative Study of Patients’ Views on the Effects of Breast-Reduction Surgery: a 2-Year Follow-up Survey
Shakespeare and Postle (1999) studied the effects of breast-reduction surgery on women 2 years postoperative. This study did not have any particular disciplinary or methodologic roots. The researchers used a qualitative inductive approach to analyze oral and written evidence from patients. The research performed is classified as a descriptive qualitative study, which can be found on page 237 of the textbook (Polit & Beck, 2008).
Problem Statement
Due to increases in health care cost and funding constraints, there is a growing need to demonstrate that certain surgical services provided are effective in producing true health improvements for patients. Within the plastic surgery specialty, many surgical procedures contain a proportion of ‘aesthetic’ procedures, and due limited resources, such procedures are becoming increasingly restricted, or excluded completely by health “purchasers” (Shakespeare & Postle, 1999, p. 198). An example of this is the exclusion of breast-reduction surgery for obese or overweight patients. Evidence has shown that breast-reduction surgery provides many health benefits for all patients regardless of weight. Previous studies on breast-reduction patients have shown substantial health benefit to patients in terms of improved psychological and physical health well being 6 months after surgery. Researchers wanted to see if the improved physical and psychological well-being of patients were sustainable 2 years after surgery (Shakespeare & Postle, 1999).
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this study was three fold: (1) to discover patient’s attitudes about the effects of breast-reduction surgery 2 years post-op, (2) to detect any possible change in attitudes in perceptions at 3-6 months after surgery, and (3) to determine if the health benefits are maintained long...