Between hope and weight: Psychological experiences of women with obesity facing preoperative weight-loss requirements for breast reconstruction—A qualitative thematic analysis

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

This qualitative study explored the psychological experiences of Dutch women with obesity who were required to lose weight before delayed breast-reconstruction following mastectomy. Fourteen Dutch women participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three interconnected themes emerged: coping with stress, interpersonal and healthcare experiences, and the interplay between coping and interpersonal experiences. Women who described trusting and supportive interactions generally reported greater self-efficacy, more effective stress management, and more constructive communication with healthcare professionals. In contrast, women reporting interpersonal difficulties often described challenges with emotion regulation, long-standing weight-management struggles and coping with delayed reconstruction. Across participants, BMI-based eligibility criteria were experienced as a major psychosocial stressor. These findings suggest that preoperative weight-loss requirements may have substantial psychological consequences for women awaiting breast reconstruction. Personalized psychosocial support and sensitive physician communication may strengthen coping capacities, particularly among women experiencing stress-regulation difficulties and interpersonal challenges.