Life expectancy in the families of patients with cancer: A qualitative study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22122/cdj.v5i2.236Keywords:
Hope, Life Expectancy, Caregivers, Qualitative Research, CancerAbstract
BACKGROUND: The family of patient with cancer encounters stresses that are sometimes uncontrollable. One of the strategies to gain control is to deal with such a situation hopefully. Hope plays a key role in coping with the stress associated with cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the experience of hope in the families of patients with cancer.
METHODS: This qualitative study was a kind of content analysis. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews from 12 family members of patients with cancer living in Sanandaj City, Iran. All data were recorded, and qualitative content analysis method was used to extract the contents.
RESULTS: It was revealed that hope leads to the self-belief, comfort, convenience, and power of individuals. Besides, the families of patients with cancer used several strategies including hope and spirituality that help developing the morale of the patients’ families, especially their beliefs. In addition, the results of the qualitative section indicated that the families of patients with cancer participating in the study were adapted to the conditions of these patients.
CONCLUSION: In addition to identifying some factors related to hope and coping with the stress caused by having a patient with cancer, this study showed that the families of these patients have achieved an understanding of hope. The survival of hope in these families was revealed by three components including compatibility, self-belief, and moving forward.
References
SheykhBahaoddinzade E, Ra'ei V. NICU Nursing. Tehran, Iran: Boshra Publications; 2011. [In Persian].
Hockenberry MJ, Wilson D. Wong's nursing care of infants and children: Pageburst Retail. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Science Health Science Division; 2010.
Kener C. Instruction for clinical nursing care of infant. Trans. Sabooni F, Narenji F. Arak, Iran: Arak University of Medical Science; 2001. [In Persian].
Mok E, Leung SF. Nurses as providers of support for mothers of premature infants. J Clin Nurs 2006; 15(6): 726-34.
Miles MS, Funk SG, Kasper MA. The stress response of mothers and fathers of preterm infants. Research in Nursing and Health 1992; 15(4): 261-9.
Holditch-Davis D, Bartlett TR, Blickman AL, Miles MS. Posttraumatic stress symptoms in mothers of premature infants. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2003; 32(2): 161-71.
Heermann JA, Wilson ME, Wilhelm PA. Mothers in the NICU: Outsider to partner. Pediatr Nurs 2005; 31(3): 176-81, 200.
McGrath JM. Developmentally supportive caregiving and technology in the NICU: Isolation or merger of intervention strategies? J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2000; 14(3): 78-91.
Valizadeh L, Zamanzadeh V, Akbarbegloo M, Sayadi L. Importance and availability of nursing support for mothers in NICU: A comparison of opinions of Iranian mothers and nurses. Iran J Pediatr 2012; 22(2): 191-6.
Lundqvist P, Jakobsson L. Swedish men's experiences of becoming fathers to their preterm infants. Neonatal Netw 2003; 22(6): 25-31.
Rowe JA, Gardner G, Gardner A. Parenting a pre-term infant: Experiences in a regional neonatal health services program. Paediatric and Child Health Nursing 2011; 8(1): 18-24.
Blanch D'Souza SR, Karkada S, Lewis LE, Mayya S, Guddattu V. Relationship between stress, coping and nursing support of parents of preterm infants admitted to tertiary level neonatal intensive care units of Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional survey. J Neonatal Nurs 2009; 15(5): 152-8.
Sloan K, Rowe J, Jones L. Stress and coping in fathers following the birth of a preterm infant. J Neonatal Nurs 2008; 14(4): 108-15.
Wilson SM, Miles MS. Spirituality in African-American mothers coping with a seriously Ill infant. J Soc Pediatr Nurs 2001; 6(3): 116-22.
Landis BJ. Uncertainty, spiritual well-being, and psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness. Issues Ment Health Nurs 1996; 17(3): 217-31.
Weaver AJ, Flannelly KJ. The role of religion/spirituality for cancer patients and their caregivers. South Med J 2004; 97(12): 1210-4.
Hinds PS. The relationship of nurses' caring behaviors with hopefulness and health care outcomes in adolescents. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 1988; 2(1): 21-9.
Fisher MA, Mitchell GJ. Patients' views of quality of life: Transforming the knowledge base of nursing. Clin Nurse Spec 1998; 12(3): 99-105.
Magaletta PR, Oliver JM. The hope construct, will, and ways: Their relations with self-efficacy, optimism, and general well-being. J Clin Psychol 1999; 55(5): 539-51.
Horton TV, Wallander JL. Hope and social support as resilience factors against psychological distress of mothers who care for children with chronic physical conditions. Rehabil Psychol 2001; 46(4): 382-99.
Tutton E, Seers K, Langstaff D. An exploration of hope as a concept for nursing. Orthop Nurs 2009; 13(3): 119-27.
Moore SL. Hope makes a difference. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2005; 12(1): 100-5.
Miller JE, Jevne R. Finding hope: Ways to see life in a brighter light paperback. Wayne, IN: Willowgreen Publishing; 1999.