Managing an altered social context—Patients experiences of staying away from home while undergoing proton beam therapy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Managing an altered social context—Patients experiences of staying away from home while undergoing proton beam therapy

AU - Möllerberg, Marie Louise

AU - Langegård, Ulrica

AU - Ohlsson-Nevo, Emma

AU - Fransson, Per

AU - Johansson, Birgitta

AU - Ahlberg, Karin

AU - Sjövall, Katarina

PY - 2020/7

Y1 - 2020/7

N2 - Aim: To illuminate the experience of an altered social context for patients with primary brain tumours living away from home while undergoing proton beam therapy. Design: A descriptive, qualitative cross-sectional interview study. Methods: Nineteen patients were interviewed between December 2015–August 2016, either during (N = 7) or before and after (N = 12) their proton beam therapy. A hermeneutical analysis was performed. Results: Participants made adjustments to achieve control and well-being during the treatment period. The analysis also revealed two interrelated patterns that helped participants adjust: being part of the family from a distance and seeking affinity. Conclusion: It is important that patients receiving treatment far from home find a way to remain a part of their family and find affinity in the altered social context. Health professionals can prepare patients for the treatment period and can implement interventions to promote well-being for both patients and their relatives.

AB - Aim: To illuminate the experience of an altered social context for patients with primary brain tumours living away from home while undergoing proton beam therapy. Design: A descriptive, qualitative cross-sectional interview study. Methods: Nineteen patients were interviewed between December 2015–August 2016, either during (N = 7) or before and after (N = 12) their proton beam therapy. A hermeneutical analysis was performed. Results: Participants made adjustments to achieve control and well-being during the treatment period. The analysis also revealed two interrelated patterns that helped participants adjust: being part of the family from a distance and seeking affinity. Conclusion: It is important that patients receiving treatment far from home find a way to remain a part of their family and find affinity in the altered social context. Health professionals can prepare patients for the treatment period and can implement interventions to promote well-being for both patients and their relatives.

KW - brain tumour

KW - interviews

KW - nursing

KW - proton beam therapy

KW - psychological adaptation

KW - qualitative method

KW - radiotherapy

KW - social context

KW - social support

KW - staying away from home

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083423126&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/nop2.490

DO - 10.1002/nop2.490

M3 - Article

C2 - 32587735

AN - SCOPUS:85083423126

VL - 7

SP - 1157

EP - 1163

JO - Nursing Open

JF - Nursing Open

SN - 2054-1058

IS - 4

ER -