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Patients' experiences of supportive care from a long-term perspective after oesophageal cancer surgery - A focus group study.

Malmström, Marlene LU orcid ; Klefsgård, Rosemarie LU ; Johansson, Jan LU and Ivarsson, Bodil LU (2013) In European Journal of Oncology Nursing 17(6). p.856-862
Abstract
After oesophageal cancer surgery quality of life (QOL) is severely reduced for a long time. Even though this is a well-documented fact no previous studies have focused on the patients' experiences of supportive care after surgery. PURPOSE: To illuminate patients' experiences of supportive care from a long-term perspective after oesophagectomy or oesophagogastrectomy for cancer. METHOD: Data collection was carried out using semi-structured focus-group interviews. Seventeen patients were included in the study, divided into 4 focus groups. Data was analysed with conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The patients' experiences of supportive care were captured in the theme "The need for a guiding light in the new life situation"... (More)
After oesophageal cancer surgery quality of life (QOL) is severely reduced for a long time. Even though this is a well-documented fact no previous studies have focused on the patients' experiences of supportive care after surgery. PURPOSE: To illuminate patients' experiences of supportive care from a long-term perspective after oesophagectomy or oesophagogastrectomy for cancer. METHOD: Data collection was carried out using semi-structured focus-group interviews. Seventeen patients were included in the study, divided into 4 focus groups. Data was analysed with conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The patients' experiences of supportive care were captured in the theme "The need for a guiding light in the new life situation" and it was shown that support from the healthcare system as well as from the social network was experienced as important. The patients need support that starts at the hospital and that continues throughout the transition to out-patient care. This support should focus on developing a plan for the future and on providing the patients with information that will enable them to understand their new life situation. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that the patients need a plan for the future, help in navigating the healthcare system and the provision of clear and honest information as well as a healthcare system that better overarches the gap between in and out-patient care. This suggests the need of developing and testing a supportive care programme that is designed according to the patients' needs and with focus on the potential to enhance the patients QOL after this life-changing surgery. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Oncology Nursing
volume
17
issue
6
pages
856 - 862
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000328715900025
  • pmid:23732012
  • scopus:84888055872
  • pmid:23732012
ISSN
1462-3889
DOI
10.1016/j.ejon.2013.05.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1336ee93-27c1-48e3-a8c2-a3410c91bfce (old id 3913781)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23732012?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:03:35
date last changed
2022-04-04 23:48:47
@article{1336ee93-27c1-48e3-a8c2-a3410c91bfce,
  abstract     = {{After oesophageal cancer surgery quality of life (QOL) is severely reduced for a long time. Even though this is a well-documented fact no previous studies have focused on the patients' experiences of supportive care after surgery. PURPOSE: To illuminate patients' experiences of supportive care from a long-term perspective after oesophagectomy or oesophagogastrectomy for cancer. METHOD: Data collection was carried out using semi-structured focus-group interviews. Seventeen patients were included in the study, divided into 4 focus groups. Data was analysed with conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The patients' experiences of supportive care were captured in the theme "The need for a guiding light in the new life situation" and it was shown that support from the healthcare system as well as from the social network was experienced as important. The patients need support that starts at the hospital and that continues throughout the transition to out-patient care. This support should focus on developing a plan for the future and on providing the patients with information that will enable them to understand their new life situation. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that the patients need a plan for the future, help in navigating the healthcare system and the provision of clear and honest information as well as a healthcare system that better overarches the gap between in and out-patient care. This suggests the need of developing and testing a supportive care programme that is designed according to the patients' needs and with focus on the potential to enhance the patients QOL after this life-changing surgery.}},
  author       = {{Malmström, Marlene and Klefsgård, Rosemarie and Johansson, Jan and Ivarsson, Bodil}},
  issn         = {{1462-3889}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{856--862}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Oncology Nursing}},
  title        = {{Patients' experiences of supportive care from a long-term perspective after oesophageal cancer surgery - A focus group study.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2347007/4144567.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ejon.2013.05.003}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}