A phenomenological study on male patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy.

ABSTRACT

A Phenomenological study included five male patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy in the Radiotherapy Department of Yangon General Hospital to describe and interpret their experiences through a series of face to face unstructured interviews, Sub-themes such as chest pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, cough and itching are extracted under physical experiences. Most participants expressed their diminished sexual desire. Feeling of boredom, feeling of disclosure needs, feeling of role changes associated with client's perception on body image, fear of undergoing radiotherapy and guilty feeling of delay in seeking health care are common sub-themes under the psychosocial issues. Beliefs in supernatural healer, traditional medicine, and modern therapeutic care are found to be common sub-themes under spiritual issues. Moreover, coping styles of the participants vary and are not clearly identified. Based on this finding, information dissemination and support to the community who are at risk of lung cancer are needed to decrease late diagnosis and the complication associated with illness and radiotherapy. Thus, nurses' role such as health educator, counselor, researcher, care-giver, advocate, and good communicator are essential in Oncology Nursing Practice in community as well as in hospital settings.