RT Article
T1 Experiences of Patients in Turkey with Breast Cancer throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic and their Coping Mechanisms: A Qualitative Study
JF Journal of religion and health
VO 62
IS 1
SP 662
OP 680
A1 Özyer, Yasemin
LA English
PB Springer Science + Business Media B. V.
YR 2023
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1837192952
AB This research was conducted in Turkey to determine the experiences and coping mechanisms of breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted using qualitative descriptive phenomenology. Data were collected from ten patients via in-depth interviews through semi-structured questionnaires. Content analysis, incorporating a combination of deductive and inductive approaches, was conducted to determine the themes and subthemes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, simultaneously with the analysis and collected data. The study data were categorized into 3 contexts, 7 themes and 39 subthemes. The first context titled "Problems accompanying the disease" includes the effects of the pandemic, the fear of being infected with COVID-19 and hospital-related themes. The second context titled "Coping strategies" comprises the themes of coping behaviors and healthy lifestyle behaviors. The last context is titled "Anxiety about being infected, and suggestions for the future". In the study, problems experienced by patients with breast cancer throughout the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated from a broad perspective. Patients treated in chemotherapy units constitute the vulnerable group affected by the pandemic most. Therefore, it is important to investigate the experiences of oncology patients, particularly of patients with breast cancer and their coping strategies, and to take necessary precautions accordingly.
K1 Breast Cancer
K1 Covid-19
K1 Coping mechanisms
K1 Turkey
DO 10.1007/s10943-022-01675-6