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The breath of life - Womens' experiences of breathing adapted radiation therapy.

Holst-Hansson, Anna LU ; Sjövall, Katarina LU ; Idvall, E and Bolmsjö, Ingrid (2013) In European Journal of Oncology Nursing 17(3). p.354-359
Abstract
PURPOSE: To describe and analyze how women with breast cancer experience breathing adapted radiation therapy (BART) and to explore how women manage daily radiation therapy. METHOD: Individual interviews were conducted with 20 women treated with BART for breast cancer concerning their perception of radiation therapy. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: 'The breath of life' was the overall theme, as the women experienced the breathing as a way in which to influence their treatment and thus their survival. 'Participating in one's treatment, for good or ill', was the main category with four subcategories, 'Knowing one has done something good', 'Getting an extra bonus - healthwise', 'The... (More)
PURPOSE: To describe and analyze how women with breast cancer experience breathing adapted radiation therapy (BART) and to explore how women manage daily radiation therapy. METHOD: Individual interviews were conducted with 20 women treated with BART for breast cancer concerning their perception of radiation therapy. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: 'The breath of life' was the overall theme, as the women experienced the breathing as a way in which to influence their treatment and thus their survival. 'Participating in one's treatment, for good or ill', was the main category with four subcategories, 'Knowing one has done something good', 'Getting an extra bonus - healthwise', 'The experience of being in control' and 'Being in a high-technology environment'. The breathing technique became the strategy by which they could manage their treatment and gave them a sense of participation which led to a feeling of being in control. The women also felt that breathing benefited their health both mentally and physically. The high-technology environment was experienced as both hopeful and frightening. CONCLUSION: Survival or increasing the chances of survival, are of ultimate importance for a woman with breast cancer. BART requires commitment from the women, which was perceived as offering them an opportunity to participate in their own treatment, for their survival. Increasing the women's possibilities to participate in their treatment benefits their health and welfare during an otherwise turbulent time and allow the rehabilitation process to start during treatment. (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
3
pages
354 - 359
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000318466500014
  • pmid:23149274
  • scopus:84876325085
  • pmid:23149274
ISSN
1462-3889
DOI
10.1016/j.ejon.2012.10.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4fdc9010-d690-4635-afba-fb5e6ca87985 (old id 3218978)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23149274?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:03:03
date last changed
2022-01-25 19:17:24
@article{4fdc9010-d690-4635-afba-fb5e6ca87985,
  abstract     = {{PURPOSE: To describe and analyze how women with breast cancer experience breathing adapted radiation therapy (BART) and to explore how women manage daily radiation therapy. METHOD: Individual interviews were conducted with 20 women treated with BART for breast cancer concerning their perception of radiation therapy. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: 'The breath of life' was the overall theme, as the women experienced the breathing as a way in which to influence their treatment and thus their survival. 'Participating in one's treatment, for good or ill', was the main category with four subcategories, 'Knowing one has done something good', 'Getting an extra bonus - healthwise', 'The experience of being in control' and 'Being in a high-technology environment'. The breathing technique became the strategy by which they could manage their treatment and gave them a sense of participation which led to a feeling of being in control. The women also felt that breathing benefited their health both mentally and physically. The high-technology environment was experienced as both hopeful and frightening. CONCLUSION: Survival or increasing the chances of survival, are of ultimate importance for a woman with breast cancer. BART requires commitment from the women, which was perceived as offering them an opportunity to participate in their own treatment, for their survival. Increasing the women's possibilities to participate in their treatment benefits their health and welfare during an otherwise turbulent time and allow the rehabilitation process to start during treatment.}},
  author       = {{Holst-Hansson, Anna and Sjövall, Katarina and Idvall, E and Bolmsjö, Ingrid}},
  issn         = {{1462-3889}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{354--359}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Oncology Nursing}},
  title        = {{The breath of life - Womens' experiences of breathing adapted radiation therapy.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2012.10.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ejon.2012.10.003}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}