Introduction to Health Psychology SP4: Case Study- Impact of Illness

The multifaceted effect of Sally getting breast cancer and its treatment on her life is seen in different ways. Behaviorally, she may have changes such as fatigue, irregular sleeping patterns, and diminished capability to do daily tasks. Psychologically, Sally may undergo more stress, anxiety, and depression due to the unknown nature of her illness, body image changes, and future worries. Emotionally, Sally might experience feelings of being alone or overloaded by her illness, which might strain her relationships with her family and friends. The study by Antoni et al. (2022) indicates that stress management interventions could allow cancer patients to deal with psychologically and physiologically positively and, thus, possibly improve their health status. Liu et al. (2021) also highlight that physical activity intervention can have a positive influence on the behaviours and psychological well-being of women battling breast cancer. Sally may be affected in her ability to cope with the disease by social support quality, her coping styles, and her perception of her disease. It is a matter of concern for physicians and nurses to examine these determinants for improving Sally’s quality of life and well-being.

Sally’s illness could affect her family, so John, her husband or Amber, her daughter, will be the most influenced. Behaviorally, John’s stress, fatigue and inability to concentrate may become notorious, and he will be struggling to get a new job while still supporting his wife, Sally and carrying household responsibilities. Amber, in contrast, however, may show behavioural changes in the form of withdrawal and sadness, as evidenced by her crying in her room and her tendency to be withdrawn. Psychologically, John and Amber would feel helpless, grieving, and also anxiety about Sally’s illness and its impact on their family’s relationship. Socially, the family will encounter challenges in keeping sanity and normalcy surrounding them, as Sally’s daily lives and routines of Sally are so much affected by her illness and demand significant adjustments. From the research by Boles and Jones (2021) on middle generations’ perceptions about legacy and interventions for families that receive palliative care, there is a need to address families’ psychological and emotional needs, which can help improve the family’s well-being. Furthermore, according to another work, Lummer-Aikey and Goldstein (2020) mentioned the effect of chronic childhood sickness on sibling adjustment; therefore, family members may also need support to cope with the illness. As a result, healthcare professionals should think beyond just the client to cover all the aspects of occupants’ lives and use suitable support and interventions to help the family cope effectively.

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The term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) refers to a person’s subjective awareness of their physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in the context of the medical treatment they are receiving. Some factors can determine how the breast cancer is going or affect the HRQoL of Sally. First of all, the severity and stage of her cancer, including the level of aggressive therapy, aggravates enormously her physical functioning, symptoms, and overall well-being. Well-being also the way she deals with problems and psychologically adjusts to her condition is very important because her ailment and treatment are very challenging. In this regard, her networks of support are of importance as they affect her quality of emotional life and ability to deal with the diagnosis and treatment. The work of Faury and Foucaud (2020) shows that the assessment of HRQoL in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is crucial; this intervention can be effective only if the management of symptoms and side effects is also carried out successfully, and thus, it can improve the HRQoL.

Additionally, Mokhatri-Hesari and Montazeri (2020) highlight that the quality of HRQoL of breast cancer patients influences treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Therefore, interventions that improve the quality of HRQoL could lead to better treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Thus, it is crucial to deal with the latter to improve SJ’s HRQoL and general well-being during the entire cancer journey.

For Sally and her family to manage the disease better, three theoretically and empirically informed recommendations must be made. In the first place, introducing psycho-social therapies like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can assist Sally in handling her emotional pain and improve her coping skills. These types of int