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Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2012

Inger Öster ,
Oliver Hedestig ,
Mona Johansson ,
Nina Klingstedt  and
Jack Lindh
Inger Öster
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Oliver Hedestig
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Mona Johansson
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Nina Klingstedt
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Jack Lindh*
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Jack Lindh, Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective:

Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in men, is often treated with radiotherapy, which strains both physical and mental health. This study aimed to describe the experiences of men living with prostate cancer shared within conversational support groups during a course of radiotherapy.

Method:

Nine men participated in one of two groups that met six or seven times, led by a professional nurse. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes in the recorded group conversations.

Results:

The analysis resulted in six themes: living with a changing body, being in the hands of others, learning to live with the disease, the importance of knowledge, everyday life support, and meeting in the support group. The men discussed a wide variety of bodily experiences and described support from healthcare professionals, relatives, friends, and the support group as crucial to their recovery.

Significance of results:

Meeting men in a similar situation, sharing experiences of living with the disease, and feeling allied to each other were important to the men in our study. The conversational support group provided the patient with prostate cancer a forum where sharing was made possible.

Keywords

Prostate cancerExperienceQualitative content analysisSupport group
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , August 2013 , pp. 331 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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