The effect of compression garments on participation in life roles ; experiences of women with breast cancer related lymphoedema

Date
2023-03
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst women. Lymphoedema, a complication of breast cancer treatment, is often managed with a compression garment during maintenance phase that controls swelling which then improves function. Aim: To explore the experiences of women with breast cancer-related lymphoedema about the effect of compression garments on their participation in life roles. Owing to the explorative nature of the study, no specific objectives were set. Method: The study followed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Five participants were purposefully sampled from a population of 23. Virtual semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. Employing an interpretative phenomenological analysis framework, data for each participant was analysed separately, followed by cross case analysis and development of emerging themes. Results: Four themes emerged: “Controlling the narrative”, “Braving the public”, “A double edged sword” and “Influence on mental health”. Controlling the narrative showed the need for choice of garment type, design and colour, wearing schedule, and around conversations about it. Braving the public focused on the attention the garment draws. A double edged sword showed that, while decreasing impairments and improving function, the garments were also a source of irritation. Mental health symptoms such as frustration on the one side and security on the other emerged. Conclusion: The garments gave relief on an impairment level and supported activities and participation. However, accepting the compression garment as part of their lives for the rest of their lives was emotionally difficult. Participants were often not comfortable to appear in public with their compression garments because of the negative attention and emotions they created. They counteracted negative emotions by taking control.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Borskanker is een van die algemeenste kankers onder vroue. Limfedeem, ’n komplikasie van borskanker-behandeling, word hanteer met ’n kompressie-kledingstuk wat swelling beheer en gevolglik funksie verbeter. Doelwit: Om die ondervindings van vroue met borskanker-verwante limfedeem te verken wat betref die effek van kompressie-kledingstukke op hul deelname aan lewensrolle. Weens die ondersoekende aard van die studie is geen spesifieke doelwitte gestel nie. Metodiek: Die studie het ’n interpretatiewe fenomenologiese benadering gevolg. Vyf deelnemers is doelgerig gemonster uit ’n populasie van 23. Virtuele semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om data te versamel. Deur ’n interpretatiewe fenomenologiese analise-raamwerk te benut is data vir elke deelnemer afsonderlik geanaliseer, gevolg deur kruisgeval-analise en die ontwikkeling van ontluikende temas. Resultate: Vier temas het na vore gekom: “Beheer die narratief”, “Trotseer die publiek”, ’n Voordelige ergernis”, en “Invloed op geestesgesondheid”. Beheer die narratief het die noodsaaklikheid vir ’n keuse van kledingstuk-tipe, ontwerp en kleur, dra-skedule en gesprekke daar rondom getoon. Trotseer die publiek het gefokus op die aandag wat die kledingstuk trek. ’n Voordelige ergernis toon dat, hoewel die kledingstukke gestremdheid verminder en funksie verbeter, dit ’n bron van irritasie was. Geestesgesondheids-kwessies soos frustrasie aan die een kant en sekuriteit aan die ander het ook te voorskyn gekom. Bevindinge: Die kledingstukke bring verligting op ’n gestremdheid-vlak en ondersteun aktiwiteite en deelname. Dit was egter emosioneel moeilik om die kompressie-kledingstukke as deel van hul lewe vir die res van hul lewe te aanvaar. Deelnemers was dikwels nie gemaklik om in die publiek te verskyn met hul kompressie-kledingstukke nie weens die negatiewe aandag en emosies wat dit skep. Hulle het negatiewe emosies teengewerk deur beheer te neem.
Description
Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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