Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - ‘You’re putting thoughts into my head’
T2 - a qualitative study of the readiness of patients with breast, lung or prostate cancer to address emotional needs through the first 18 months after diagnosis
AU - Baker, Paul
AU - Beesley, Helen
AU - Dinwoodie, Robert
AU - Fletcher, Ian
AU - Ablett, Jan
AU - Holcombe, Christopher
AU - Salmon, Peter
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - ObjectiveTo investigate the readiness of patients to address emotional needs up to 18 months following a diagnosis of breast, lung or prostate cancer.MethodPatients (N = 42) attending pre-treatment, treatment and follow-up clinics were provided with information designed to help them manage their emotional reactions to cancer. Patients were interviewed 3–4 weeks later about their emotional experience of cancer and their attitudes towards managing emotional problems. Qualitative data analysis followed a constant comparative approach.ResultsPatients early in the cancer trajectory, who had not yet been engaged in chemotherapy or radiotherapy, described emotional distress as a temporary and understandable reaction that did not warrant professional intervention. They valued knowing that support was available, but did not want to use it, and were reluctant to acknowledge or address emotional needs. Conversely, patients currently or recently engaged in treatment readily acknowledged their emotional needs and welcomed help to address these.ConclusionsDrawing on social cognitive and other theories, we suggest that engagement in physical treatment and care allows patients to address emotional needs following a cancer diagnosis. Guidance that emotional needs should routinely be assessed and addressed at key points in the cancer trajectory should therefore be implemented cautiously when patients are only recently diagnosed; psychological intervention may be less appropriate at this time than later.
AB - ObjectiveTo investigate the readiness of patients to address emotional needs up to 18 months following a diagnosis of breast, lung or prostate cancer.MethodPatients (N = 42) attending pre-treatment, treatment and follow-up clinics were provided with information designed to help them manage their emotional reactions to cancer. Patients were interviewed 3–4 weeks later about their emotional experience of cancer and their attitudes towards managing emotional problems. Qualitative data analysis followed a constant comparative approach.ResultsPatients early in the cancer trajectory, who had not yet been engaged in chemotherapy or radiotherapy, described emotional distress as a temporary and understandable reaction that did not warrant professional intervention. They valued knowing that support was available, but did not want to use it, and were reluctant to acknowledge or address emotional needs. Conversely, patients currently or recently engaged in treatment readily acknowledged their emotional needs and welcomed help to address these.ConclusionsDrawing on social cognitive and other theories, we suggest that engagement in physical treatment and care allows patients to address emotional needs following a cancer diagnosis. Guidance that emotional needs should routinely be assessed and addressed at key points in the cancer trajectory should therefore be implemented cautiously when patients are only recently diagnosed; psychological intervention may be less appropriate at this time than later.
KW - cancer
KW - oncology
KW - qualitative
KW - patient information
KW - emotional distress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878779594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/pon.3156
DO - 10.1002/pon.3156
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84878779594
VL - 22
SP - 1402
EP - 1410
JO - Psycho-Oncology
JF - Psycho-Oncology
SN - 1057-9249
IS - 6
ER -