Constructions of chronic illness

Wellard, Sally

doi:10.1016/s0020-7489(98)00013-3

Cited by 40 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Equally, when an individual is diagnosed with cancer and comes to be seen as ''ill,'' a different set of norms emerge for acceptable behavior within their illness state (Wellard, 1998), including the notion that people with cancer have either limited sexual needs or are asexual (D'Ardenne, 2004). According to Schildrick (2005), people with a disability or serious illness are disqualified from normative discourses of sexuality, as ''proper'' sexuality is associated only with able bodied, healthy, and usually young individuals, which ''legitimates a denial of sexual desire and pleasure'' (p. 334) for those falling outside these discourses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers

2008

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There is a growing body of evidence to show that cancer can result in dramatic changes in sexuality, sexual functioning, and intimate couple relationships, with significant implications for both quality of life and psychological well-being. However, the experiences of intimate partners are often neglected in research on sexuality and intimacy in the context of cancer. This study used a material-discursive framework and a qualitative methodology to investigate the ways in which intimacy and sexuality are renegotiated in the context of cancer, and what factors are associated with successful or unsuccessful renegotiation, from the perspective of partners caring for a person with cancer. Twenty participants were interviewed, across a range of cancer types, stages, and age groups. Eleven participants reported that they were unable to negotiate other ways of being sexually intimate when penetrative sexual intercourse was no longer physiologically possible or desirable. Nine were able to renegotiate sexual intimacy in the context of cancer to include practices previously positioned as secondary to "real sex," such as mutual masturbation, self masturbation, manual stimulation, oral sex, massage, the use of vibrators, kissing, and hugging. Grounded theory analysis identified two themes associated with renegotiation: "Alternative" sexual practices-redefining sexual intimacy, and couple communication and relationship context. Difficulties in renegotiation were associated with adherence to the coital imperative, sexual relationship or communication problems which existed prior to cancer, and the positioning of the person with cancer as a child or an asexual sick patient rather than a sexual partner. The implications for health professional intervention to ameliorate changes to sexuality in the context of cancer are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers

2008

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“…Over the past two decades, research into chronic illness experience has shifted from the classic grounded theorizing of depicting basic social processes in such metaphoric conceptualizations as illness trajectory [2], erosion of self [3] or unending work [4] toward nuanced representations aimed at balancing aspects common to many chronic conditions with distinct experiential differences among and between specific chronic conditions and health care contexts [5][6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The context of health care communication in chronic illness

Thorne

Harris

Mahoney

et al. 2004

Patient Education and Counseling

109

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“…Patients with LTCs engage in self-care activities to achieve normality in their everyday lives, maintain social relationships and participate in meaningful activities in the community [18–20]. Examples of these activities include lifestyle modification such as stopping smoking, taking medications, self/symptom-monitoring and seeking more information and support about living with LTCs [4, 16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Patients will often seek support for self-care from both healthcare and non-healthcare sources based on their instrumental, psychosocial and relational needs [22]. Studies have shown that non-healthcare sources (family, friends, peers) play a more significant role in supporting many aspects of self-care including emotional and lifestyle support, although patients still rely on healthcare professionals for support with the medical aspect of their LTCs [18, 20, 23]. Among healthcare professionals, community pharmacy teams are least considered for ongoing support although the reasons for this is not clearly evident [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-care of long-term conditions: patients’ perspectives and their (limited) use of community pharmacies

et al. 2017

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Background Self-care support is an ‘inseparable’ component of quality healthcare for long-term conditions (LTCs). Evidence of how patients view and use community pharmacy (CP) to engage in self-care of LTCs is limited. Objective To explore patients’ perspectives of engaging in self-care and use of CP for self-care support. Setting England and Scotland. Method Qualitative design employing semi-structured interviews. LTCs patients were recruited via general practitioners (GPs) and CPs. Interviews were conducted between May 2013 and June 2014; they were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results Twenty-four participants were interviewed. Three main themes emerged: engaging in self-care, resources for self-care support and (limited) use of community pharmacy. Participants’ LTC ‘lived experience’ showed that self-care was integral to daily living from being diagnosed to long-term maintenance of health/wellbeing; self-care engagement was very personal and diverse and was based on beliefs and experiences. Healthcare professionals were viewed as providing information which was considered passive and insufficient in helping behavioural change. Non-healthcare sources (family, carers, friends, internet) were important in filling active support gaps, particularly lifestyle management. Participants’ use of, and identified need for, community pharmacy as a resource for self-care support of LTCs was limited and primarily focussed on medicines supply. There was low awareness and visibility of CPs’ potential roles and capability. Conclusion CP needs to reflect on patients’ low awareness of its expertise and services to contribute to self-care support of LTCs. Rethinking how interventions are designed and ‘marketed’; incorporation of patients’ perspectives and collaboration with others, particularly GPs, could prove beneficial.

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Constructions of chronic illness

Cited by 40 publications

References 19 publications

Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers

Renegotiating Sexuality and Intimacy in the Context of Cancer: The Experiences of Carers

The context of health care communication in chronic illness

Self-care of long-term conditions: patients’ perspectives and their (limited) use of community pharmacies

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