The strength and courage to think positively: perceptions of young women in cancer treatment

Keywords: Women's health, Young Adult, Neoplasms, Therapeutics, Nursing

Abstract

Objective: to describe the perceptions of young women undergoing cancer treatment. Method: qualitative descriptive study developed in the outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy of a university hospital through semi-structured interview. Twenty young women who performed cancer treatment participated in the research. The collection of interviews followed the ethical precepts and was approved by the institution’s Research Ethics Committee, held from July to September 2021 and submitted to the Inductive Thematic Content Analysis. Results: the participants were aged between 20 and 40 years. Most had a diagnosis of breast cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma or squamous cell carcinoma moderately differentiated from the cervix and experienced cancer treatment for the first time. From the analysis of the speeches, three categories emerged: "The strength and courage to think positively"; "Feeling like a weight: introspection as an alternative" and "The experience of treating a cancer: resignifying concepts and future perspectives". Final thoughts: young women in cancer treatment value positive thinking to face the peculiarities inherent in this process, but feel unable to perform their daily activities and had to deal with and redefine their own concepts regarding the future and their perspectives, paying attention to the value of small things.

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Author Biographies

Amanda Suélen Monteiro, Federal University of Santa Maria

Nurse from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). Postgraduate student in Continuing and Permanent Education at Centro Educacional Dom Alberto. Assistant nurse at Associação Amparo Providência Lar das Vovozinhas. Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Graciela Dutra Sehnem, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)

Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Adjunct Professor at the Department of Nursing and Postgraduate Program in Nursing of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Cíntia Vanuza Monteiro Bugs, University of Santa Cruz do Sul

Nurse from the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC). Master in Nursing. Assistant nurse in the Municipality of Sobradinho/RS. Secret, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Anahy da Silva Machado, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)

Nurse from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). Assistant nurse at Dr. Bartholomeu Tacchini Hospital. Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Denise Comin Silva Almeida, Integrated College of Santa Maria (FISMA)

Nurse. Specialist in Obstetrics. MSc student in Nursing. Professor at the Integrated College of Santa Maria (FISMA). Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 

Silvana Bastos Cogo, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)

Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Adjunct Professor at the Department of Nursing and Postgraduate Program in Nursing of the UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 

Eliane Tatsch Neves, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)

Nurse. Post-doctor in Nursing. Full Professor at the Department of Nursing and Postgraduate Program in Nursing of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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Published
2024-02-19
How to Cite
Monteiro, A. S., Sehnem, G. D., Bugs, C. V. M., Machado, A. da S., Almeida, D. C. S., Cogo, S. B., & Neves, E. T. (2024). The strength and courage to think positively: perceptions of young women in cancer treatment. Ciência, Cuidado E Saúde, 23. https://doi.org/10.4025/ciencuidsaude.v22i0.65907
Section
Original articles