Exploring head and neck cancer patients' experiences with radiation therapy immobilisation masks: A qualitative study.

Participant experiences of the immobilisation mask were diverse. The findings fit with Lazarus and Folkman's (Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co) transactional model of stress and coping, as participants appeared to make cognitive appraisals of the mask and their coping abilities throughout treatment, resulting in varied levels of mask-related distress. Complex intervention is recommended to reduce mask anxiety in HNC patients across ANZ.