Journal article
Post-treatment head and neck cancer survivors' approaches to self-management: A qualitative study
European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society, Vol.52, pp.101944-101944
06/01/2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2021.101944
PMCID: PMC8217137
PMID: 33774374
Abstract
Purpose: Post-treatment head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors contend with distinct, long-term challenges related to cancer treatments that impact their day-to-day lives. Alongside follow-up cancer care, they also must be responsible for the daily management of often intrusive physical and psychological symptoms, as well as maintaining their health and a lifestyle to promote their well-being. The purpose of this study was to identify HNC survivors' approaches toward engagement in self-management activities. Methods: Post-treatment HNC survivors (N=22) participated in the study through purposeful sampling. Participants were eligible if they 1) had a history of upper aerodigestive tract cancer; 2) completed their most recent primary treatment (i.e. chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery) more than eighteen months prior and had no evidence of HNC, and 3) could speak in English. A semi-structured interview was used. Data was analyzed using content analysis. Results: We identified three approaches that survivors took towards self-management activities: taking charge, living with it, and engaging as needed. Our results showed that taking charge is when survivors take an active role in evaluating their health and taking action subsequently; as needed represents engaging in self-management as necessary; and living with it reflects adapting to the symptoms and side effects without managing them. Conclusions: We propose self-management approaches as a novel mechanism to understand the relationship between survivors' characteristics and health preferences and their self-management. It is important for clinicians to highlight the variation in individuals 'self-management approaches as they work to identify tailored patient-centered strategies that compliment specific patient needs.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Post-treatment head and neck cancer survivors' approaches to self-management: A qualitative study
- Creators
- Seyedehtanaz Saeidzadeh - University of Wisconsin–MadisonStephanie Gilbertson-White - University of IowaCatherine H. Cherwin - University of IowaHeather Schacht Reisinger - University of IowaNicholas Kendell - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterNitin A. Pagedar - University of IowaAaron T. Seaman - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society, Vol.52, pp.101944-101944
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ejon.2021.101944
- PMID
- 33774374
- PMCID
- PMC8217137
- NLM abbreviation
- Eur J Oncol Nurs
- ISSN
- 1462-3889
- eISSN
- 1532-2122
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- P30 CA086862 / University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center National Cancer Institute; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) KL2TR002536 / National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2021
- Academic Unit
- Nursing; Center for Social Science Innovation; General Internal Medicine; Community and Behavioral Health; Otolaryngology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984312245802771
Metrics
1 Record Views