The role of companion animals in advanced cancer: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Background

There is evidence that a companion animal (CA) or ‘pet’ can be helpful during the management of chronic illness. However, the psychological effects of CAs and the mechanism by which they can be beneficial to individuals managing life-limiting conditions is unknown. This study addresses this gap and provides the first examination of the lived experience of CAs among community-dwelling adults with advanced cancer.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interview study consisting of a homogenous sample of 6 individuals with an advanced cancer diagnosis, who either self-selected to the study or were recruited through a regional charity that supports palliative and end-of-life care patients in maintaining a connection with their CA. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Results

Four superordinate themes occurred in the data: a protective relationship, positive behavioural change, facilitating meaningful social connections and increased loss-orientated cognitions. The findings suggest that CAs offer de-arousing and socially protective supports that mitigate physical and psychological sequalae experienced by people with advanced cancer. However, as their illness progresses, individuals may also experience thoughts related to not meeting their CA’s needs currently and in the future.

Conclusions

CAs provide emotional, practical, and social supports to individuals diagnosed with advanced cancer that can improve individual psychological wellbeing. Consequently, it is important that CAs are considered in advance care planning processes and that services are available to mitigate any negative effects of CA ownership, in order to maximise the benefits CAs confer to individuals managing advanced cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12904-022-01050-y.

The role of acceptance in parents whose child suffers from cancer

OBJECTIVE

Parents are the main caregivers when there is a child diagnosed with cancer. Receiving a diagnosis of childhood cancer is a stressful experience. The objective of this study is to explore the mediating role of emotional avoidance and acceptance in the emotional adjustment of parents throughout the disease.

METHODS

Using the qualitative methodology Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), parent's experiences of having a child with a diagnosis of cancer were explicated. Participants (n = 10) took part in one-on-one semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

Acceptance serves to cope with paediatric cancer because parents live day by day, actively taking care of their children. Acceptance and emotional avoidance with oneself, with the sick child and with the others play a key role in emotional adjustment. Differences between acceptance and avoidance were considered.

CONCLUSION

Three main themes emerged from the analyses. Parents' ability to overcome their emotional struggle provides a non-pathological view of the experience of a child's illness. The results also showed the possibility for parents to access new ways to support their loved ones and to maintain the quality of their relationships. Acceptance has a positive impact on parents' adjustment while avoidance showed a negative effect on parents of children with cancer.