Demanding Beauty: A Critical Analysis of Quality of Life for Women with Facial Disfigurement

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Facial disfigurement has been found to be associated with poverty, social exclusion, low self-esteem, and an overall diminished quality of life compared to those without facial disfigurement (a.k.a. facial difference). Despite the lack of clear evidence on whether surgical interventions can enhance the quality of life of individuals with facial disfigurement, many medical practitioners still offer such treatments in an effort to improve their patients' well-being. This research sought to examine under what conditions treatment for facial disfigurement does indeed lead to a better quality of life. The study revealed that women who felt they had a sense of agency in choosing to receive treatment were more likely to report a high quality of life. Additionally, these women reported feeling positive about their overall healthcare experience and feeling highly respected by others. This paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for gaining useful insight into how resources can be improved to help meet the disfigurement community’s needs.

Type of resource	text
Publication date	June 1, 2023

Author	Okine, Erica
Thesis advisor	Luhrmann, Tanya

Subject	Quality of Life
Subject	Facial disfigurement
Subject	Facial difference
Subject	Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Subject	Craniofacial Abnormalities
Subject	Deformities
Genre	Text
Genre	Thesis

DOI	https://doi.org/10.25740/vw877gy1625
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/vw877gy1625

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License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY).

Preferred citation: Okine, E. (2023). Demanding Beauty: A Critical Analysis of Quality of Life for Women with Facial Disfigurement. Unpublished Honors Thesis. Stanford University, Stanford CA. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/vw877gy1625. https://doi.org/10.25740/vw877gy1625.

Stanford University, Program in Science, Technology and Society, Honors Theses

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