Browsing by Author "Odendaal, Chante"
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- ItemExploring the experiences of informal primary caregivers of women with advanced or terminal gynaecological cancers(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Odendaal, Chante; Roomaney, Rizwana; Simonds, Hannah; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Psychology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gynaecological cancers are a serious health problem affecting women across the world. According to the recent global cancer statistics, more than 1.3 million women were diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer and 671 920 women died as a result of this disease. There are five main types namely cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulva and vaginal cancer. These cancers originate in the reproductive organs of women and may affect their health, selfesteem, body image and romantic relationships. Informal cancer caregivers play a crucial role in a patient’s illness trajectory because they provide the patient with physical, emotional, and financial support. Women with advanced or terminal gynaecological cancer particularly need support from their caregivers because they are at a delicate stage of their disease. Advanced or terminal cancer cannot be cured and thus, the challenges that caregivers experience may be unique because the possibility of death becomes greater. Yet, to my knowledge, there are no studies that have specifically explored the experiences of informal caregivers of women with advanced or terminal gynaecological cancer. For this reason, I have conducted this study. I conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 participants. I recorded all the interviews, and transcribed the interviews verbatim. Thereafter, I analysed the data thematically by using the principles outlined by Braun and Clarke. I identified five themes namely, 1) navigating a complicated relationship with the patient: a caregiver’s perspective, 2) the complexities associated with caregiving and the public healthcare system, 3) the effects of caregiving on the caregiver’s heath and well-being, 4) the support networks of informal cancer caregivers and 5) providing care in the context of a pandemic. The findings highlight the challenges and positive changes that the informal caregivers experienced within their relationship with the patient. In addition, the findings indicate the importance of communication between healthcare providers and informal caregivers and the need for caregiver visibility. Furthermore, the findings highlight the impact of caregiving on the physical and emotional well-being of these caregivers. Moreover, the findings highlight the supportive resources available to the caregivers. Lastly, the findings in this study present novel experiences regarding providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic.