Sarcomas are a group of rare and aggressive cancers, which develop in bones and connective tissue throughout the body. Sarcomas account for only 1–2% of all cancers worldwide; however, mortality rates for sarcoma are high with approximately two in four sarcoma patients dying following a diagnosis. Delays in diagnosis, poor management of symptoms, patients’ high symptom loads and high carer burden are all associated with carer distress, which may lead to complications after bereavement. The experience of having a family member referred for palliative care is also distressing for carers, with the realisation that their family member is dying. This study aimed to explore the experiences of bereaved family carers of people diagnosed with sarcoma. A qualitative descriptive design using a social constructionist framework was adopted. Interviews were conducted with sixteen participants, and thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the data. Four overarching themes emerged: beginning the journey; moving through treatment; transitioning to palliative care; and experiencing bereavement. The narratives were coherent and potent, and people reflected on their journeys. Interventions and supports for bereaved carers could include opportunities for counselling to support reflections, supports for developing a narrative such as writing therapy, and preparation for the death of the family member.
Research has identified variability in the way people see and understand privilege and their desire to address inequality. Generational and political ideological differences may be factors that shape such variability. Despite considerable inequality and a growing class system, to date, little research has been conducted in Australia to consider how people conceptualize these issues. Given this, the aim of this research was to explore how millennial Australian conservative voters conceptualize privilege. 10 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with millennial conservative party voters, and transcripts were analyzed thematically. Four themes were identified: (1) defining privilege (an advantage over others without effort); (2) comparisons: self to others (empathic downward comparisons saw participants identify qualities of their life that were privileged); (3) value tensions (tensions between participants political ideology and personal views) (4) disadvantage: individual or collective responsibility? (who and how inequality should be addressed). Combined, these themes revealed a highly contextual and nuanced conceptualization of privilege and how at times participants contested the conservative belief in meritocracy when empathically engaging in downward comparison of other’s circumstances, recognizing some positions of disadvantage could not be remedied by individual effort. Findings contribute to understandings in political psychology regarding downward comparisons and meritocracy.
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