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The appraisal of positive life changes following cancer diagnosis: An interview study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2006

KAZUE KOMURA  and
JOHN R. HEGARTY
KAZUE KOMURA
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka, Japan
JOHN R. HEGARTY
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK
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Abstract

Objective: This research examines positive life changes that cancer patients may experience following their diagnosis. Although cancer is often believed to have negative impacts on the life of patients, positive impacts have been also discussed empirically. This study focuses on cancer patients' appraisal of positive life changes following their diagnosis and examines how and in which fields they recognize their lives as positively changed based on the study of Petrie et al. (1999).

Methods: A total of eight cancer patients in a cancer support group participated in this research. A group discussion and semistructured interviews were conducted. Content analysis was applied.

Results: The content analysis produced insights into the seven types of cancer-related life changes: improved empathy, greater knowledge about health, renewed recognition of life, change in personal life priorities, greater appreciation of health and life, improved close relationships, and healthy lifestyle change. Negative life changes were also reported.

Significance of the research: This research showed that cancer patients tended to find and appraise their own positive life changes following cancer. The categorization of positive life changes basically supported that of Petrie et al. (1999), but produced an original category: renewed recognition of life. Positive life changes might be seen as a natural process that encourages patients' adjustment to cancer. Understanding positive impacts of cancer could be important in capturing the life-sized features of cancer patients. Future research could expand the view of the impacts of cancer and demonstrate how people recognize them as benefits.

Keywords

CancerCancer patientsPositive life changesGrowthSense of control
Type
Research Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 3 - 12
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

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