Legitimising fatigue after breast-cancer treatment.
Mackereth, Peter A Farrell, Carole Bardy, J Molassiotis, A Finnegan-John, J
Mackereth, Peter A
Farrell, Carole
Bardy, J
Molassiotis, A
Finnegan-John, J
Citations
Altmetric:
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the experience of women living with fatigue following chemotherapy for breast cancer. Six focus groups were conducted (n=40); all participants had taken part in a multi-site acupuncture trial. There were three to seven people per focus group. Additionally, two people attended one-to-one interviews and four people provided written responses to the trigger questions. The audiotapes from these sessions were transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Participants raised concerns about fatigue possibly being a symptom of the cancer coming back or a sign of senility. Respondents described the effects of fatigue on relationships, sexuality, social life, home life and returning to work. The Coping with Fatigue booklet ( Macmillan Cancer Support, 2011 ) was discussed in terms of legitimising the experience of cancer-related fatigue and explaining symptoms to family and work colleagues. More research work is required to evaluate non-pharmaceutical interventions and advice to support women living with fatigue after chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Description
Date
2015-02
Publisher
Collections
Keywords
Type
Article
Citation
Legitimising fatigue after breast-cancer treatment. 2015, 24 Suppl 4:S4-S12 Br J Nurs