Cancer survivorship: existential suffering

Venke Ueland; Elin Dysvik; Jessica Hemberg; Bodil Furnes

doi:10.1080/17482631.2021.2001897

Cancer survivorship: existential suffering

Venke Ueland^*
, Elin Dysvik
, Jessica Hemberg
, Bodil Furnes

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

89 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to explore and describe existential experiences after cancer treatment.
Method: An exploratory phenomenological hermeneutical design was used following in-depth interviews with 21 people.
Results: The study revealed experiences of multifaceted suffering in the form of limitations in everyday life, inner struggles, and bearing the burden alone.
Conclusions: Existential suffering after cancer treatment was revealed as like being in a process of transition, in an intermediate state, as moving between suffering and enduring, and alternating between alienworld and homeworld. A new and broader professional perspective is needed to establish rehabilitation services based on multifaceted experiences of suffering. This means a shift in focus from biomedical symptoms towards understanding of existential meaning for the person.

Original language	English
Article number	2001897
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2021.2001897
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

Cancer survivor
existential experience
whole suffering
phenomenological hermeneutics
isolation
lived experience
lifeworld

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10.1080/17482631.2021.2001897Licence: CC BY

17482631.2021Final published version, 756 KBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022031123002

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T1 - Cancer survivorship: existential suffering

AU - Ueland, Venke

AU - Dysvik, Elin

AU - Hemberg, Jessica

AU - Furnes, Bodil

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N2 - Purpose: This study aimed to explore and describe existential experiences after cancer treatment. Method: An exploratory phenomenological hermeneutical design was used following in-depth interviews with 21 people. Results: The study revealed experiences of multifaceted suffering in the form of limitations in everyday life, inner struggles, and bearing the burden alone. Conclusions: Existential suffering after cancer treatment was revealed as like being in a process of transition, in an intermediate state, as moving between suffering and enduring, and alternating between alienworld and homeworld. A new and broader professional perspective is needed to establish rehabilitation services based on multifaceted experiences of suffering. This means a shift in focus from biomedical symptoms towards understanding of existential meaning for the person.

AB - Purpose: This study aimed to explore and describe existential experiences after cancer treatment. Method: An exploratory phenomenological hermeneutical design was used following in-depth interviews with 21 people. Results: The study revealed experiences of multifaceted suffering in the form of limitations in everyday life, inner struggles, and bearing the burden alone. Conclusions: Existential suffering after cancer treatment was revealed as like being in a process of transition, in an intermediate state, as moving between suffering and enduring, and alternating between alienworld and homeworld. A new and broader professional perspective is needed to establish rehabilitation services based on multifaceted experiences of suffering. This means a shift in focus from biomedical symptoms towards understanding of existential meaning for the person.

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KW - whole suffering

KW - phenomenological hermeneutics

KW - isolation

KW - lived experience

KW - lifeworld

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Cancer survivorship: existential suffering

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Keywords

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