Lived experiences of women suffering from breast cancer in Kashmir: a phenomenological study

AbstractUsing a phenomenological approach, this study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived  experiences of Kashmiri women suffering from breast cancer within the context of their day-to-day lives. Snowball sampling and theoretical sampling techniques were employed for recruiting participants. Data collection was primarily based on the principles of data saturation. Data saturation occurr ed after 12 women with breast cancer were interviewed. Data was collected using face-to-face in-depth individual interviews. The interview guide consisted of open-ended questions. To attain the utmost variation, sumptuousness and profundity of responses, interviewer asked probing, specific, and in terpreting questions during interviews. Data analysis of the transcripts was based on Graneheim and Lundman’s (Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Education Today 2004;24:105–12) procedures for taking out themes in qualitative data. Two main themes emerged that explained the lived experiences of women with breast cancer: (i) challenges encountered (altered body image, embarrassment, perceived worries, financial constraints, dealing with negative attitudes and stigma) and (ii) coping strategies (reliance on r eligion and spirituality, social support, living as usual, optimistic attitude and will to recover, and venting out). The findings revealed that breast cancer diagnosis influences women sign...
Source: Health Promotion International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research