Not feeling sick from breast cancer: A framework on health status perceptions transition process

Abstract Purpose In what state of health do women with breast cancer consider themselves to be? Health professionals classify them as cancer victims but few studies have examined women's perceptions of their own health following a breast cancer diagnosis. We looked at the transition in health s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society 2016-06, Vol.22, p.85-94
Main Authors: Hébert, Maude, Gallagher, Frances, St-Cyr Tribble, Denise
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms - complications
Breast Neoplasms - psychology
Cohort Studies
Emotions
Female
Grounded theory
Health Status
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Humans
Middle Aged
Nursing
Perception
Perceptions
Quebec
Self Concept
Transition
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Purpose In what state of health do women with breast cancer consider themselves to be? Health professionals classify them as cancer victims but few studies have examined women's perceptions of their own health following a breast cancer diagnosis. We looked at the transition in health status perceptions between before and after receiving the diagnosis. Methods A grounded theory design was chosen to develop a framework. Results From an analysis of semi-structured individual interviews with 32 women, it emerged that 1) over a two-year period, the participants went through four iterative steps between receipt of the official diagnosis and the return of the level of energy once the treatments are done. Theses four steps are: reacting emotionally, facing the situation, constructing a new identity and reacting to social representations of cancer, 2) the participants did not feel sick from breast cancer. Conclusion This study shows learning to live with a sword of Damocles over the head during the transition process. The emergent steps of the health status perceptions transition process in breast cancer trajectory give direction for care.
ISSN:1462-3889
1532-2122
DOI:10.1016/j.ejon.2016.04.001