The Life Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients who Received Chemotherapy
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Abstract
Background: Cancer is still a major public health problem. Modern medicine doctors provide many kinds of treatment such as surgery, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy, which is important and currently popular treatment method but in some cases it can have severe side effects.
Objectives: It aimed to study the ways of thinking about illness and the life experiences of breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy at Mahasarakham Hospital.
Materials and methods: This phenomenological qualitative research was conducted from July 2015 to September 2016. The 8 informants included breast cancer patients, aged 40 years old and older, who were admitted to a general surgical ward and received chemotherapy at Mahasarakham hospital. The data were collected using the participatory observation and in-depth interview; then, it was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: The way of thinking about the illness of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were expressed in 5 different ways and they are as follow: 1) feeling excited, fear and shock; 2) battling for recovery; 3) expecting recovery; 4) letting it be and 5) being able to get over it. The life experiences of breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy comprised of 2 main points: 1) the physical-psychosocial care and 2) the need of help in various facets which makes the society aware of such problem and need.
Conclusion: The results can be useful in developing good clinical nursing practice guidelines for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at the hospital in the future.
Keywords: life experience; breast cancer; breast cancer patient; chemotherapy
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References
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