Soočanje žensk z rakom dojke in življenje z izkušnjo raka dojke : magistrsko delo

Kern, Teja (author), Prosen, Simona (mentor)

Magistrsko delo v ospredje postavlja doživljanje žensk ob bolezni raka dojke. Rak dojke je danes ena izmed najpogostejših bolezni na svetu in lahko doleti vsako žensko ter pri njej povzroči duševno stisko. V teoretičnem delu magistrskega dela je najprej opredeljena bolezen rak dojke, nato pa doživljanje bolnic v vseh obdobjih bolezni. Predstavljene so tudi možne duševne stiske ob tej bolezni ter možnosti za razbremenitev le teh. Teoretični del zaključi možnost osebne posttravmatske rasti po bolezni raka dojke. V empiričnem delu so predstavljeni rezultati kvalitativne raziskave, kjer sem s polstrukturiranimi intervjuji raziskovala soočanje in doživljanje žensk z izkušnjo raka. V vzorec so bile vključene štiri ženske z izkušnjo raka dojke. Raziskovalna vprašanja so se osredotočala na njihovo doživljanje v vseh obdobjih bolezni, na soočanje s spremenjeno telesno podobo, uporabo strategij za razbremenitev čustvene stiske in učinkovitost le teh ter na pogled na življenje po bolezni. Rezultati so pokazali, da je bil bolezenski proces povezan z neprijetnimi čustvi in doživljanjem stiske, ki so bili najintenzivnejši v obdobju postavitve diagnoze in intenzivnega zdravljenja, v obdobju preživetja pa se je tako neprijetno doživljanje umirilo. Raziskava je pokazala, da je doživljanje izrazito neprijetno ob večjih telesnih spremembah, kot je izguba las ali dojke, kar prinaša tudi največ težav pri sprejemanju nove telesne podobe. Posameznice so uporabljale več strategij za čustveno razbremenitev, kot so iskanje socialne opore, iskanje informacij in zatekanje k veri in duhovnosti. Te strategije so bile delno učinkovite. Rezultati kažejo, da so bolnice po prestani bolezni in zdravljenju pridobile tudi nekatere nove pozitivne poglede na življenje, kar se lahko opiše kot posttravmatska rast. Raziskava bi lahko pripomogla k boljšemu razumevanju doživljanja posameznic v različnih obdobjih bolezni raka dojke oz. zdravljenja in pripomogla k njihovi bolj celostni obravnavi.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: rak dojke, doživljanje bolezni, strategije pri soočanju z rakom dojke, psihosocialna pomoč
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publisher: [T. Kern]
• Year: 2018
• Number of pages: 59 str.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-102336
• UDC: 615.851:618.19-006(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 12086857
• Publication date in RUL: 31.08.2018

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Women facing breast cancer and living with experience of breast cancer

Abstract

The master’s thesis focuses on women’s experiences of breast cancer. Breast cancer in women is one of the most common diseases worldwide, and it can affect any woman, causing her considerable mental distress. The theoretical part of the thesis starts by defining breast cancer as a disease and then moves on to how patients experience it in the various stages of the disease. Possible kinds of mental distress are described which occur during breast cancer as well as possibilities of relieving them. The theoretical part is concluded by the presentation of personal, posttraumatic growth after recovery. The empirical part presents the findings of my qualitative research study, in which I used semi-structured interviews to examine how women faced and experienced breast cancer. My sample consisted of four women with the experience of breast cancer. The research questions focused on the women’s experiences in all the stages of the disease, on how they faced the changing body image, how they used strategies to alleviate emotional distress and how effective the strategies were and, finally, on the respondents’ attitudes towards life after recovery. The results show that the process of going through breast cancer is related to negative emotions and anguish, which are strongest during the periods of establishing diagnosis and intensive treatment. In the period of long-term survival negative experiences diminish. My research study demonstrates the experiences to be especially traumatic at the times of more significant body changes, such as hair or breast loss, which also brings the most challenges in terms of accepting one’s new body image. The individuals in my study used various strategies for emotional relief, for instance, looking for information, for social, religious or spiritual support. The strategies proved only partly effective. The findings also show that after their treatment the patients developed certain new attitudes towards life, which can be described as posttraumatic growth. This research contributes to a better understanding of the experiences of women in the various stages of breast cancer and its treatment as well as to the holistic treatment of women with breast cancer.

• Keywords: cancer, rak