Price, S, Long, AF and Godfrey, M (2013) Exploring the needs and concerns of women with early breast cancer during chemotherapy: valued outcomes during a course of traditional acupuncture. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. 165891. 1 - 7. ISSN 1741-427X
Abstract
Women diagnosed with breast cancer experience symptom clusters in addition to existential issues from a life-threatening diagnosis during chemotherapy. A complementary therapy, such as traditional acupuncture (TA) with its whole-person orientation, may help to modify these effects, alongside inducing other patient benefits. Exploring the needs and concerns of women and perceived benefits of TA would add to knowledge about its integrative treatment potential. Methods. A longitudinal qualitative study recruited fourteen women to receive up to ten sessions of TA during chemotherapy. They were interviewed before, during, and after chemotherapy. Two practitioners of TA delivered treatment and were interviewed before and after the study, and kept treatment logs and diaries. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the data were analysed using grounded theory. Findings.Both broad and specific benefits were reported by the women; a highly valued outcome was enabling coping through the alleviation of symptoms and increased well-being. Practitioners dealt with the presented symptom clusters facilitating outcome patterns, including and beyond individual symptom changes. Further research on TA as a flexible intervention able to respond to the changing needs and concerns of woman during chemotherapy along with the measure of such outcome patterns is warranted.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2013, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | early breast cancer; chemotherapy; valued outcomes; traditional acutuncture |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Academic Unit of Elderly Care and Rehabilitation (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 09 Oct 2013 10:25 |
Last Modified: | 15 Sep 2014 02:59 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/165891 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Hindawi Publishing Corporation |
Identification Number: | 10.1155/2013/165891 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:76575 |