Experiences from having breast cancer and being part of a support group. Notes written in diaries by women during radiotherapy

Emilsson, Sofia; Svensk, Ann-Christine; Olsson, Karin; Lindh, Jack; Öster, Inger

doi:10.1017/s1478951511000721

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This uniformly positive result in the men contrasted with that in a group of women with breast Shared experiences during radiotherapy for prostate cancer cancer who participated in a parallel case -control study of similar support groups and described their experiences in private diaries. In that study both positive and negative feelings were described (Emilsson et al, 2012a). Participation in a support group increased levels of coping resources assessed with the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

et al. 2012

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

et al. 2012

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Diaries were considered a useful strategy in allowing participants to respond to researcher-related topics, while being able to reflect on their experiences in a manner that is less influenced by memory recall (Alaszewski, 2006; Jacelon and Imperio, 2005) and in a setting that is presumably less influenced by the intrusive presence of the researcher (Mannay, 2016). Inside the cover of each diary, a brief instruction was given (adapted from Emilsson et al, 2012) stating that participants could write or depict anything to do with their breast cancer journeys and that they may use drawings, photographs, magazine gut-outs, of anything of their choosing to tell their story. Some women included drawings and magazine cut-outs in their diaries, but findings related to visual data have been reported elsewhere (Smit et al, 2021; Smit, 2021).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the subjective experiences of South African women with recurrent breast cancer: A qualitative study

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study explored the subjective experiences of 12 South African women diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer. Women were invited to take part in unstructured narrative interviews, and to complete a diary in which they could reflect on their breast cancer experiences. Most responded to their recurrence with an optimistic stance. Religious beliefs and support structures were important coping strategies. Women’s perceptions of their changed bodies varied from being of least concern, to becoming the most distressing aspect. The findings highlight the complexity of illness experience and the different ways in which women make sense of a second episode of cancer.

show abstract

“…This unwillingness to join support groups contradicts past findings, in which support groups were thought to be helpful for women so that they would feel less isolated and alienated by their diseases. 49,50 Asian families are usually close-knit and tend to be more reserved as opposed to their Western counterparts; therefore, the participants may have perceived good support networks from their families and were thus not keen in joining support groups.…”

Section: Liow Et Al N Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Experiences and Support Needs of Women With Gestational Breast Cancer in Singapore

Liow

Choo

et al. 2020

Cancer Nurs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Gestational breast cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy or within the first postpartum year. There is a lack of studies on the experiences of ethnically diverse Asian women with gestational breast cancer. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Asian women with gestational breast cancer so necessary support can be rendered. Methods This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling to recruit 7 women with gestational breast cancer who were following up at the breast center of a tertiary women's hospital in Singapore. Semistructured, individual, face-to-face, audio-recorded interviews were used to explore the in-depth experiences of these women. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) being a sick woman, (2) juggling between being a mother and a patient, and (3) seeking normalcy. Women had to contend with disruptive changes from gestational breast cancer, both emotionally and physically. They were constantly distressed by their altered body images, and family support was vital to help these women cope with their treatments. Alternative support sources included healthcare professionals and the Internet. Conclusion Gestational breast cancer experiences varied based on the women's encounter perceptions and existing support. Their experiences may be improved through further support to mediate their coping efforts. Future quantitative and qualitative research should explore and evaluate the various aspects of the long-term disease and psychosocial effects of gestational breast cancer. Implications for Practice Hospitals should include support strategies in antenatal classes and postnatal workshops to lessen disruptions of the motherhood experiences.

show abstract

Experiences from having breast cancer and being part of a support group. Notes written in diaries by women during radiotherapy

Abstract: The findings suggest that the women with breast cancer found it valuable to be able to share experiences with other women in a similar situation in the context of a support group. Being part of such a group provided a space and an opportunity for reflection.

Cited by 6 publications

References 16 publications

Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

Understanding the subjective experiences of South African women with recurrent breast cancer: A qualitative study

The Experiences and Support Needs of Women With Gestational Breast Cancer in Singapore

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About