TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiences of paradox
T2 - A qualitative analysis of living with cancer using a framework approach
AU - Leal, Isabel
AU - Engebretson, Joan
AU - Cohen, Lorenzo
AU - Rodriguez, Alma
AU - Wangyal, Tenzin
AU - Lopez, Gabriel
AU - Chaoul, Alejandro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PY - 2015/2
Y1 - 2015/2
N2 - Objectives: Life-threatening diseases such as cancer represent unique traumas - compared with singular, time-limited traumatic events - given their multidimensional, uncertain, and continuing nature. However, few studies have examined the impact of cancer on patients as a persistent stressor. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore patients' ongoing experiences of living with cancer and the changes encountered in this experience over time. Methods: Written reflections to three open-ended questions collected from 28 patients on their experience of cancer at two time points were analyzed to explore participants' experiences and perspectives over time. Content analysis using a framework approach was employed to code, categorize, and summarize data into a thematic framework. Results: Data analysis yielded the thematic framework - living with paradox, consisting of four interrelated themes: sources, experiences, resolution of paradox, and challenges with medical culture/ treatment. The primary theme concerned moving through a dualistic and complex cancer experience of concurrently negative and positive emotional states across the course of cancer. Conclusions: Respondents indicated that cycling through this contradictory trajectory was neither linear, nor singular, nor conclusive in nature, but reiterative across time. Recognition that patients' cancer experience may be paradoxical and tumultuous throughout the cancer trajectory can influence how practitioners provide patients with needed support during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. This also has implications for interventions, treatment, and care plans, and adequately responding to the diversity of patient's psychosocial, physical, existential, and spiritual experience of illness.
AB - Objectives: Life-threatening diseases such as cancer represent unique traumas - compared with singular, time-limited traumatic events - given their multidimensional, uncertain, and continuing nature. However, few studies have examined the impact of cancer on patients as a persistent stressor. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore patients' ongoing experiences of living with cancer and the changes encountered in this experience over time. Methods: Written reflections to three open-ended questions collected from 28 patients on their experience of cancer at two time points were analyzed to explore participants' experiences and perspectives over time. Content analysis using a framework approach was employed to code, categorize, and summarize data into a thematic framework. Results: Data analysis yielded the thematic framework - living with paradox, consisting of four interrelated themes: sources, experiences, resolution of paradox, and challenges with medical culture/ treatment. The primary theme concerned moving through a dualistic and complex cancer experience of concurrently negative and positive emotional states across the course of cancer. Conclusions: Respondents indicated that cycling through this contradictory trajectory was neither linear, nor singular, nor conclusive in nature, but reiterative across time. Recognition that patients' cancer experience may be paradoxical and tumultuous throughout the cancer trajectory can influence how practitioners provide patients with needed support during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. This also has implications for interventions, treatment, and care plans, and adequately responding to the diversity of patient's psychosocial, physical, existential, and spiritual experience of illness.
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U2 - 10.1002/pon.3578
DO - 10.1002/pon.3578
M3 - Article
C2 - 24831084
AN - SCOPUS:84921362980
SN - 1057-9249
VL - 24
SP - 138
EP - 146
JO - Psycho-oncology
JF - Psycho-oncology
IS - 2
ER -