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How Patients Experience and Give Meaning to Their Cancer-related Fatigue?
International Journal of Social Science Studies
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| Title |
How Patients Experience and Give Meaning to Their Cancer-related Fatigue?
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| Creator |
Barello, Serena; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Graffigna, Guendalina; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Lamiani, Giulia; Università degli Studi di Milano Luciani, Andrea; Università degli Studi di Milano Vegni, Elena; Università degli Studi di Milano Saita, Emanuela; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Olson, Karin; University of Alberta Bosio, Claudio A.; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore |
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| Description |
Fatigue is a common experience occurring in 70% to 100% of advanced cancer patients with a great impact on quality of life and survival. Despite the complexity of this phenomenon, fatigue’s psychosocial dimensions are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to deepen how Italian patients perceive and give meaning to their cancer-related fatigue through the analysis of their language. The study was designed using ethnoscience, an approach that allows to explore how meaning is conveyed through language. We interviewed 16 cancer patients with different level of fatigue (5 mild, 5 moderate, 6 severe). The data analysis showed that fatigue affected three experiential dimensions (mind, body and interpersonal relationships) which are characterized by different symptomatic manifestations depending on the level of fatigue. Patients’ causal attributions also varied across levels of fatigue: patients with mild and moderate fatigue attributed their fatigue to psychological and contextual causes, whereas patients with severe fatigue attributed their fatigue to physical and medical causes. As fatigue affects multiple areas of patients' lives, this study suggests the importance of holistic treatments with a multidisciplinary approach able to support patient engagement and activation in their healthcare. This study also shows the importance of considering patients' causal attributions about fatigue, as these appeared to play a role in how patients managed fatigue. Finally, our data highlighted the importance of using a shared language when speaking with patients about fatigue as this may help patients to feel more understood and supported, thus also improving their quality of life and engagement in their care & cure process.
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| Publisher |
Redfame Publishing
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| Date |
2013-04-26
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| Format |
application/pdf
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| Identifier |
http://redfame.com/journal/index.php/ijsss/article/view/44
10.11114/ijsss.v1i2.44 |
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| Source |
International Journal of Social Science Studies; Vol 1, No 2 (2013); 8-19
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| Language |
en
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| Rights |
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication. Copyrights for articles published in Redfame journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
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