Fatigue in cancer: a phenomenological perspective

Abstract

Fatigue is a frequently encountered symptom in cancer populations. This study aimed to describe the experience of fatigue from the perspective of cancer patients who had recently completed a course of chemotherapy. A phenomenological method was used. The themes which emerged from the data indicated both a shared and individual experience of fatigue. These incorporated: the nature of fatigue; the causes, consequences, strategies for coping with fatigue; and the trajectory of the fatigue experience. Issues arising from the nature of phenomenological inquiry and the research were also elicited from this study. An understanding of the fatigue experience for this population and the use of phenomenology have implications for the nursing profession's knowledge base and for clinical practice.

The impact of fatigue on Chinese cancer patients in Hong Kong

“…The findings of this study support the complex interaction of fatigue and diminished function and wellbeing that is played out differently in the lives of cancer patients undergoing CT or RT. Compared with the findings of studies reported in the Western literature [10,13,31], the universal experience of fatigue is similar to that of Chinese patients. However, individual concerns and appraisal of the influence of fatigue on the participant's normal living patterns vary.…”

“…Their results demonstrated that such effects could compromise patients' quality of life. Pearce and Richardson [31] and Jamar [18] used a similar format and semi-structured interviews to provide data on the discernment of fatigue of patients undergoing chemotherapy.…”

Measuring fatigue in patients with cancer

“…Patients with cancer have frequently described fatigue as a variety of problems including: tiredness, lack of energy, inability to sustain exertion, poor concentration and often feeling drained to the point of exhaustion [20, 34,39]. Physically people may say they are weak all over, point to weakness in a particular muscle group, or say they lack strength or power.…”

Exploration des expériences des patients en matière de fatigue liée au cancer et de leurs stratégies personnelles pour y faire face

“…La majorité de la recherche qualitative effectuée à ce jour mettait l'accent sur les expériences des patients liées à l'impact de la fatigue. Toutefois, ces études ne reliaient pas les expériences aux stratégies d'adaptation à la fatigue mises en oeuvre par les patients (Chan et Molassiotis, 2001;Harden et coll., 2002;Magnusson, Moller, Ekman et Wallgren, 1999;Pearce et Richardson, 1996). Nous pensions que nos travaux nous fourniraient une description de référence avant d'élaborer un programme de gestion de la fatigue dans notre centre de cancérologie.…”

“…Selon les écrits, la fatigue perturbe les activités professionnelles, récréatives et sociales, les activités quotidiennes et la capacité à prendre soin de soi-même (Pearce et Richardson, 1996). La fatigue peut précipiter ou aggraver la mésentente au sein des relations familiales.…”