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A qualitative exploration of the meaning of the term “survivor” to young women living with a history of breast cancer

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Rees, Sophie (2018) A qualitative exploration of the meaning of the term “survivor” to young women living with a history of breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care, 27 (3). e12847. doi:10.1111/ecc.12847

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ecc.12847

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Abstract

There has been a recent increase in research considering the perceptions of the term “cancer survivor” held by individuals who have or have had cancer. This article explores the meaning of the term to young women living with a history of breast cancer. Twenty women participated in semi‐structured interviews about their experience of breast cancer. The methodology was informed by social constructionist grounded theory. Three of the women interviewed said they would use the term survivor to describe themselves, but most of the women felt it did not fit with their experiences. The accounts of those who accepted and rejected the survivor identity are explored, and subthemes in the latter are “survivor as somebody else” and “cancer's ongoing presence.” This article calls into question the basing of intervention strategies on the notion of the “cancer survivor,” and the assumption that younger women favour the survivor identity. Participants struggled with the demand to live up to the ideal of the survivor, which implied a high degree of agency where in reality, cancer was a disempowering experience. Being labelled a survivor obscured ongoing impacts of cancer on the young women's lives.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology (including Cancer)
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences
Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Breast -- Cancer -- Patients, Breast -- Cancer -- Psychological aspects, Cancer in women -- Psychological aspects
Journal or Publication Title: European Journal of Cancer Care
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 0961-5423
Official Date: May 2018
Dates:
DateEvent
May 2018Published
6 April 2018Available
5 March 2018Accepted
Date of first compliant deposit: 10 April 2018
Volume: 27
Number: 3
Article Number: e12847
DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12847
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
1014132[ESRC] Economic and Social Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000269

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