Cognitive and Situational Precipitants of Loneliness Among Patients With Cancer: A Qualitative Analysis

Oncology Nursing Forum
Rebecca N AdamsKurt Kroenke

Abstract

To identify situations and thoughts that may precipitate or protect against loneliness experienced by patients with cancer. Qualitative. The hematology/oncology clinic at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, an outpatient oncology center in Indianapolis. Purposive sample of 15 patients undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Individual, semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted. Theoretical thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data. Factors that appeared to precipitate loneliness included several situations (e.g., physical isolation, social constraints such as criticism) and thoughts (e.g., unmet expectations for visits or questions about health, belief that others do not understand their cancer experience). Several situations (e.g., social support, normal routine) and thoughts (e.g., beliefs that time alone is desirable and that others' discomfort with cancer-related discussions is normative) appeared to protect against loneliness. Certain social situations were loneliness-inducing for some patients and not for others, suggesting that patients' thoughts about their situations, rather than the situations themselves, have the greatest impact on their lonelin...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 25, 2017·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Valentina BiagioliMaria Grazia De Marinis
Dec 13, 2017·Future Oncology·Rebecca M SchwartzClaudia Henschke
Feb 27, 2017·Quality of Life Research : an International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation·Rebecca N AdamsKurt Kroenke
Nov 11, 2018·Journal of Cancer Survivorship : Research and Practice·Trisha L Raque-BogdanMegan Beranek
Mar 15, 2018·Revista brasileira de psiquiatria : orgão oficial da Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria, Asociación Psiquiátrica de la América Latina·Dena Sadeghi BahmaniSerge Brand
Dec 9, 2020·European Journal of Cancer Care·Valentina BiagioliRosario Caruso
Apr 28, 2021·European Journal of Oncology Nursing : the Official Journal of European Oncology Nursing Society·Sine Fischer, Lene Seibaek

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