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Walsh C, Leavey G, McLaughlin M. Information provision to caregivers of children with rare dermatological disorders: an international multimethod qualitative study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e070840. [PMID: 37419636 PMCID: PMC10335406 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify service-provided information needs among dermatological caregivers of patients living with ichthyosis. DESIGN This is the first online international qualitative study to explore caregiver-reported service-provided information needs, using transnational focus groups (n=6), individual interviews (n=7) and in-depth emails (n=5). NVivo facilitated the coding process and Framework Analysis was applied. SETTING Caregivers were recruited through two online ichthyosis support groups and resided across 10 countries and 5 continents (USA, Greece, Netherlands, Ireland, UK, Canada, India, Philippines, Switzerland and Australia). PARTICIPANTS A purposive sample of 8 male and 31 female caregivers participated (mean age range 35-44 years). Participants were aged 18 years old or older and fluent in English. Participants cared for a total of 46 children (1:1 ratio for child gender and clinical classification of disease severity). Participants represented all stages along the care continuum, including neonatal intensive care unit and bereavement. RESULTS This study advances understanding of how to optimise information-sharing across hospital, community and online settings at three points along the care continuum (screening, active caregiving and survivorship). Timely, personalised and appropriate service-provided information support was considered key in influencing the self-efficacy, coping ability and psychosocial well-being of both the caregiver and their child. The modification of information support, through feedback loops, can result in a different bidirectional psychosocial impact for the caregiver and the affected child. CONCLUSION Our findings provide a novel insight into how existing gaps between caregiver expectations and needs, in terms of information support, can be addressed. As information support is a modifiable factor, improved healthcare education around these themes should become an urgent public health matter to inform future educational and psychosocial interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carleen Walsh
- Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Ulster University, Derry, UK
| | - Gerard Leavey
- Director of Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Ulster University, Derry, UK
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Park GR, Kim J. Gendered trajectories of depressive symptoms and social interactions among cancer patients. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2022; 56:102092. [PMID: 34999426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2021.102092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examines whether and how depressive symptoms and social interactions change before and after cancer diagnosis, and whether this pattern varies by gender. METHODS This study used data about 722 middle- and older-aged adults from seven waves (3,963 person-observations) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing spanning 12 years between 2006 and 2018. Gender-stratified fixed effects regression models were used to investigate the effect of cancer diagnosis on changes in depressive symptoms and the frequency of social interactions (with friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors) before and after cancer diagnosis. RESULTS For both men and women, an increase in depressive symptoms was found in the first and second year after cancer diagnosis, though the increase in the second year was significantly greater for men than women. Only men continued to suffer higher depressive symptoms after the third year and subsequent years. This study also found a decrease in the frequency of social interactions only among men in the second year and subsequent years after cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION Trajectories of psychosocial adjustment to cancer are gendered. The psychosocial consequences of cancer are greater and last longer for men than women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gum-Ryeong Park
- Department of Health, Aging & Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Kim
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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Cross-sectional study of sex differences in psychosocial quality of life of long-term melanoma survivors. Support Care Cancer 2021; 29:5663-5671. [PMID: 33580285 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06046-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life. Differences in quality of life by sex among long-term melanoma survivors remain unclear. The objective of this study was to describe sex differences in cancer-specific psychosocial quality of life of long-term melanoma survivors. METHODS Melanoma survivors 7-10 years post-diagnosis from a previously conducted population-based case-control study were recruited for a cross-sectional survey. Validated measures of psychosocial quality of life related to melanoma diagnosis were assessed. Outcomes were compared by sex using linear regression models adjusting for age, education, income, and marital status. RESULTS The survey response rate was 62% (433 females, 291 males; 86% stage I disease). Females were more likely to report changes in their appearance (p = 0.006) and being more fearful of recurrence (p = 0.001) or a second melanoma (p = 0.001) than males but were also more likely to report that melanoma had a positive impact on their lives (p < 0.0001). Males were more likely to agree with statements that emphasized that life's duration is limited (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Long-term melanoma survivors reported generally favorable measures of psychosocial quality of life related to their diagnosis. Females and males reported unique quality of life concerns and may require varied methods of support following a melanoma diagnosis.
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Larsen MK, Birkelund R, Mortensen MB, Schultz H. Undertaking responsibility and a new role as a relative: a qualitative focus group interview study. Scand J Caring Sci 2020; 35:952-961. [PMID: 33089551 DOI: 10.1111/scs.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Being a relative of a patient with oesophageal cancer can evoke strong emotions and uncertainty about the future. As a consequence of the treatment course for oesophageal cancer and an increase in outpatient treatment, relatives are becoming increasingly responsible for patients' physical and emotional care. There is a lack of research exploring relatives' experiences with illness, treatment and decision-making. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To explore relatives' experiences with illness, treatment of the patient and decision-making in the context of oesophageal cancer. DESIGN A qualitative explorative design was chosen. METHODS We conducted two focus group interviews with 11 relatives. The analysis was based on Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. RESULTS Throughout illness and treatment, relatives faced the fear of loss, leading to distress and anxiety. Relatives were simultaneously taking responsibility and asserting a new role during treatment as they regarded treatment as a joint affair. Regarding decision-making, relatives positioned themselves on the sidelines, awaiting the authority of the patients and healthcare professionals to give them space for participation. CONCLUSION Relatives of patients with oesophageal cancer undergoing treatment are suppressing their anxiety and doubt about the future. As they are undertaking responsibility during treatment, they are claiming control in new areas, which leads to changing roles within the family. However, they do not feel empowered in decision-making because they recognise patients' decision-making authority. This study highlights the complexity of balancing patients' authority with acknowledgement of relatives' role as active collaborators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malene Kaas Larsen
- Department of Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark.,Institute of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Regner Birkelund
- Lillebaelt Hospital - University Hospital of Southern Denmark & Institute of Regional Health Research, Vejle, Denmark.,University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Michael Bau Mortensen
- Department of Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Helen Schultz
- Department of Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
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5
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Effects of exercise interventions on social and cognitive functioning of men with prostate cancer: a meta-analysis. Support Care Cancer 2020; 28:2043-2057. [DOI: 10.1007/s00520-019-05278-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Wedgwood N, Smith L, Hendl T, Shuttleworth R. Boy Interrupted - Biographical disruption during the transition to adulthood. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2020; 42:20-34. [PMID: 31359462 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Most studies on the gendered aspects of biographical disruption are predicated on adult experiences of chronic illness, often based on heterogeneous samples. This paper goes beyond typologies by analysing the life-history case study of 'Sam', a 23-year-old Australian man raised in a refugee family, who developed a disabling chronic health condition at 15 years of age. The analysis illustrates how critical contextual factors like life-phase, combine with powerful social structures like ethnicity and gender to shape Sam's experiences of, and responses to, biographical disruption. Even before the onset of any symptoms, Sam was railing against the marginal position he occupied in the Australian gender order as a young Asian man. With little guidance on how to adapt his biography to integrate his new differently functioning body, Sam's transition to adulthood stalls, and he becomes in effect, a boy interrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki Wedgwood
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Louisa Smith
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tereza Hendl
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Russell Shuttleworth
- Faculty of Health, School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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7
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Hopwood P, Hopwood N. New challenges in psycho-oncology: An embodied approach to body image. Psychooncology 2019; 28:211-218. [PMID: 30488572 DOI: 10.1002/pon.4936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Penelope Hopwood
- Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Nick Hopwood
- School of Education, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
- Department of Curriculum Studies, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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8
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Neris RR, Zago MMF, Ribeiro MÂ, Porto JP, Anjos ACYD. Experience of the spouse of a woman with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a qualitative case study. ESCOLA ANNA NERY 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2018-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract Objective: To identify the meaning attributed to the experience of a spouse of a woman with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: Descriptive study, with a theoretical-methodological orientation based on medical anthropology and utilizing an ethnographic case study strategy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Results: The meanings revealed that the diagnosis cause suffering. Chemotherapy was seen as giving hope of healing the wife's cancer. During this process, the spouse had to deal with the strong adverse effects of the treatment and subordinate to his wife to reduce the conflict experienced by the couple, which violated the rules of his masculinity. Religion and family were important support networks on this path. Final considerations and implications for practice: The results showed the importance of considering cultural aspects of spouses when they are faced with disease in their wives. The way spouses deal with breast cancer will depend on their cultural systems. Nursing care must be comprehensive and extend to spouses whose wives have breast cancer.
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Pietilä I, Jurva R, Ojala H, Tammela T. Seeking certainty through narrative closure: men's stories of prostate cancer treatments in a state of liminality. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2018; 40:639-653. [PMID: 29430679 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Radical treatments of prostate cancer often lead to a pervasive liminal state that is characterised by multiple uncertainties that relate both to a possible recurrence of cancer and recovery from side effects, such as erectile and urinary dysfunctions. Liminality can make it difficult for cancer patients to narrate their experiences, as their stories lack a definite ending. After interviews with 22 Finnish men who had undergone radical prostatectomy, we analysed how men produce closure in their illness narratives. Focusing on the timelines of control visits or their anticipated recovery from side effects, these interviewees sought provisional certainty within a seemingly chaotic future. By locating erectile dysfunction in the wider context of a life-course and interpreting their fading sexuality as a 'natural' consequence of ageing, these men were adjusting to their post-operative lives. Our study further shows that the inability to adjust personal experiences to positive culturally available storylines that provide a chance for the narrative reconstruction of life, can cause materialised negative consequences, such as relationship breakdowns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilkka Pietilä
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Gerontology Research Center, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Raisa Jurva
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Hanna Ojala
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Teuvo Tammela
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
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Thomas C, Wootten AC, Robinson P, Law PCF, McKenzie DP. The impact of sexual orientation on body image, self-esteem, urinary and sexual functions in the experience of prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2018; 27:e12827. [PMID: 29461652 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) poses a large health burden globally. Research indicates that men experience a range of psychological challenges associated with PCa including changes to identity, self-esteem and body image. The ways in which sexual orientation plays a role in the experience of PCa, and the subsequent impact on quality of life (QoL), body image and self-esteem have only recently been addressed. By addressing treatment modality, where participant numbers were sufficient, we also sought to explore whether gay (homosexual) men diagnosed with PCa (PCaDx) and with a primary treatment modality of surgery would report differences in body image and self-esteem compared with straight (heterosexual) men with PCaDx with a primary treatment modality of surgery, compared with gay and straight men without PCaDx. The results of our study identified overall differences with respect to PCaDx (related to urinary function, sexual function and health evaluation), and sexual orientation (related to self-esteem), rather than interactions between sexual orientation and PCaDx. Gay men with PCaDx exhibited higher levels of urinary functioning than straight men with PCaDx, the difference being reversed for gay and straight men without PCaDx; but this result narrowly failed to achieve statistical significance, suggesting a need for further research, with larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Thomas
- Epworth Prostate Centre, Epworth HealthCare, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - A C Wootten
- Smiling Mind, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - P Robinson
- School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - P C F Law
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - D P McKenzie
- Epworth Research Institute, Epworth HealthCare, Richmond, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Matheson L, Watson EK, Nayoan J, Wagland R, Glaser A, Gavin A, Wright P, Rivas C. A qualitative metasynthesis exploring the impact of prostate cancer and its management on younger, unpartnered and gay men. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2017; 26. [PMID: 28382745 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) can negatively impact on men's sexual, urinary and emotional functioning, affecting quality of life. Most men with PCa are older (≥65 years), married and heterosexual and little is known about the impact on men who are younger, unpartnered or gay. We aimed to synthesise existing qualitative research on these three groups of men. A systematic metasynthesis was undertaken that included data on the unique impacts of PCa on younger (<65 years) (n = 7 papers), unpartnered (n = 17 papers) or gay or bisexual men (n = 11 papers) using a modified meta-ethnographic approach. The three overarching constructs illustrated the magnified disruption to men's biographies, that included: marginalisation, isolation and stigma-relating to men's sense of being "out of sync"; the burden of emotional and embodied vulnerabilities and the assault on identity-illustrating the multiple threats to men's work, sexual and social identities; shifting into different communities of practice-such as the shift from being part of a sexually active community to celibacy. These findings suggest that PCa can have a particular impact on the quality of life of younger, unpartnered and gay men. This has implications for the provision of tailored support and information to these potentially marginalised groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Matheson
- Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - E K Watson
- Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - J Nayoan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - R Wagland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - A Glaser
- Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - A Gavin
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - P Wright
- Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - C Rivas
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Ohlsson-Nevo E, Andershed B, Nilsson U. Psycho-educational intervention on mood in patients suffering from colorectal and anal cancer: A randomized controlled trial. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/2057158516679790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Psycho-educational interventions can moderate the negative impact of cancer on patients’ mental wellbeing, although studies of the effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are scarce. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to test whether a nurse-led psycho-educational programme (PEP) could affect the emotional wellbeing of persons being treated for CRC and anal cancer. A secondary aim was to test whether there were any differences in emotional wellbeing in the patients before undergoing a PEP compared to a subset of the Swedish population. A randomized controlled trial was used. In total, 86 patients were randomized either to a PEP comprising seven lectures followed by discussions and reflections with peers or to standard treatment. Mental wellbeing was measured with the Mood Adjective Check List. The PEP significantly ( p < 0.04) increased the patients’ overall mood one month after the end of the intervention. The PEP seemed to have a short-term effect on patients’ overall mood. Other outcomes such as self-efficacy could be useful measures when evaluating PEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Ohlsson-Nevo
- Health Care Research Center, University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden
| | - Birgitta Andershed
- Faculty of Health, Care and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Gjövik, Norway
- Department of Palliative Research Centre, Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden
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13
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Hannum SM. Meeting the Self at the Crossroads: Thoughts on Aging as a Young Cancer Survivor. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2016; 57:89-95. [PMID: 27507684 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnw109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY With nearly 14.5 million cancer survivors currently alive in the United States, it is expected this will rise to roughly 19 million by 2024. As more people will age with a history of cancer than ever before, it is important to consider how experiences of cancer affect the life course through the bending of time and its interpretation. As such, aging as a cancer survivor must be at the forefront of health maintenance across the life course. DESIGN AND METHODS Through reference to my own cancer experiences in an auto-ethnographic format, this article interprets the illness experience as co-occurring in a young, aging body. This enhances our understanding of biographical reconstruction and individual liminality through descriptions of wisdom imparted by the cancer experience itself. Knowledge and wisdom are further interpreted as enhancing researchers' understandings of cancer and cancer survivorship. RESULTS In this article, I use my illness experiences as a young person to describe evolving interpretations of the life course, the aging body, and the self. IMPLICATIONS Concepts presented in this article aid researchers' understanding of how wisdom might be achieved through the experience of protracted illness over time. Such knowledge has important implications for the management of cancer as chronic, which may be most clearly described through the lens of the ill person.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Hannum
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
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14
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Ohlsson-Nevo E, Karlsson J, Nilsson U. Effects of a psycho-educational programme on health-related quality of life in patients treated for colorectal and anal cancer: A feasibility trial. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2015; 21:181-8. [PMID: 26643400 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) may have a negative impact on a person's quality of life. Psycho-educational interventions for patients with CRC are rarely studied. The purpose of this feasibility trial was to evaluate the effect of a psycho-educational programme (PEP) on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients treated for CRC and anal cancer. METHODS Patients with CRC and anal cancer were randomly assigned to a PEP (n = 47) or standard treatment (n = 39). The PEP included informative lectures, discussion, and reflection. HRQL was evaluated using the SF-36 at baseline and 1, 6, and 12 months after the end of the PEP. RESULTS Patients in the PEP group had significantly better Mental Health scores after 1 month and significantly better Bodily Pain scores after 6 months compared with patients who received standard care. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that a PEP can have a short-term effect on the mental health and bodily pain of patients treated for CRC and anal cancer when comparing with a control group. The article discusses the methodological difficulties of evaluating an intervention such as this PEP in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Ohlsson-Nevo
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Department of Surgery, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Faculty of Medicine and Health, Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Jan Karlsson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden; Faculty of Medicine and Health, Department of Medicine, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ulrica Nilsson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Matheson L, Boulton M, Lavender V, Protheroe A, Brand S, Wanat M, Watson E. Dismantling the present and future threats of testicular cancer: a grounded theory of positive and negative adjustment trajectories. J Cancer Surviv 2015; 10:194-205. [PMID: 26159160 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-015-0466-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Testicular cancer commonly affects men in the prime of their lives. While survival rates are excellent, little previous research has examined men's experiences of adjustment to survivorship. We aimed to explore this issue in younger testicular cancer survivors. METHODS In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with testicular cancer survivors over two time points approximately 6 months apart in the year following treatment completion. Interviews were analysed using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS The sample included 18 testicular cancer survivors between 22 and 44 years (mean age 34). A grounded theory was developed, which explained the process of positive adjustment over the first year following the treatment completion in terms of men's ability to dismantle the present and future threats of cancer, involving the key transitions of gaining a sense of perspective and striving to get on with life and restore normality. These were facilitated by six key processes. The processes that explained a negative adjustment trajectory are also presented. CONCLUSIONS These findings contribute to the understanding of the psychosocial impact of testicular cancer on younger men's lives and have implications for the provision of support to testicular cancer survivors. Further investigation into the feasibility of one-on-one peer support interventions is warranted, as well as informal support that respects men's desire for independence. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS Understanding the processes involved in adjustment highlights ways in which health professionals can offer support to those struggling to adjust through challenging illness beliefs, encouraging emotional disclosure and facilitating peer mentoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Matheson
- Cancer Care Research Group, Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Marston, Oxford, OX3 0FL, UK.
| | - Mary Boulton
- Cancer Care Research Group, Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Marston, Oxford, OX3 0FL, UK
| | - Verna Lavender
- Cancer Care Research Group, Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Marston, Oxford, OX3 0FL, UK
| | - Andrew Protheroe
- University of Oxford Department of Oncology, Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre, Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK
| | - Sue Brand
- Bristol Testicular Cancer Service, Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, University Hospitals Bristol, Horfield Road, Bristol, BS2 8ED, UK
| | - Marta Wanat
- Cancer Care Research Group, Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Marston, Oxford, OX3 0FL, UK
| | - Eila Watson
- Cancer Care Research Group, Department of Applied Health and Professional Development, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Marston, Oxford, OX3 0FL, UK
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Beynon T, Selman L, Radcliffe E, Whittaker S, Child F, Orlowska D, Morgans C, Morris S, Harding R. ‘We had to change to single beds because I itch in the night’: a qualitative study of the experiences, attitudes and approaches to coping of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Br J Dermatol 2015; 173:83-92. [DOI: 10.1111/bjd.13732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Beynon
- Department of Palliative Care; South Wing Block B 2nd floor; St Thomas’ Hospital; SE1 7EH London U.K
- Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation; Kings College London; London U.K
| | - L. Selman
- Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation; Kings College London; London U.K
| | - E. Radcliffe
- Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation; Kings College London; London U.K
| | - S. Whittaker
- St John's Institute of Dermatology; St Thomas’ Hospital; SE1 7EH London U.K
| | - F. Child
- St John's Institute of Dermatology; St Thomas’ Hospital; SE1 7EH London U.K
| | - D. Orlowska
- St John's Institute of Dermatology; St Thomas’ Hospital; SE1 7EH London U.K
| | - C. Morgans
- St John's Institute of Dermatology; St Thomas’ Hospital; SE1 7EH London U.K
| | - S. Morris
- Department of Clinical Oncology; Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital; London U.K
| | - R. Harding
- Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation; Kings College London; London U.K
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Morrison TL, Thomas RL. Comparing men’s and women’s experiences of work after cancer: a photovoice study. Support Care Cancer 2015; 23:3015-23. [DOI: 10.1007/s00520-015-2670-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Wenger LM, Oliffe JL, Bottorff JL. Psychosocial Oncology Supports for Men: A Scoping Review and Recommendations. Am J Mens Health 2014; 10:39-58. [PMID: 25389212 DOI: 10.1177/1557988314555361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Although men's cancer experiences have received limited attention within the field of psychosocial oncology, increasing attention is being devoted to the development and evaluation of men-centered programs. This scoping review describes this emergent body of literature, detailing the focus, participation, and impact of interventions designed to help men with cancer build illness-specific knowledge, adapt to illness, manage side effects, distress, and uncertainty, sustain relationships, and more. Striving to build on existing knowledge, research gaps and opportunities are discussed, including a need for stronger methodologies, more tailored and targeted supports, attention to the experiences of men with nonprostate cancers, and the explicit integration of gender analyses in the research process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Wenger
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John L Oliffe
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joan L Bottorff
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia; Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
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Abstract
As researchers consider gendered patterns in men's prostate cancer experiences, little attention has been devoted to how men manage 'cancer', more generally. Drawing on the experiences of 30 Canadian men with a variety of cancer types, this article details how men engaged illness self-management and help-seeking activities with lay and professional support persons. Results indicate three broad responsive strategies: fortifying resources, maintaining the familiar, and getting through. In these pursuits, the participants drew on a variety of performances to respond to social contexts demanding that men embody masculine ideals including strength, control, and stoicism. Considering gendered dynamics in how men manage the challenges of cancer, this article broadens understandings about men's cancer experiences by highlighting the drivers orienting participants' responsive efforts and challenging assumptions of help-seeking as essentially problematic for men in Western society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Wenger
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Canada
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