"Leva med cancer" Bröstcancerdrabbade kvinnors upplevelser av att hantera sin situation - en litteraturstudie

Sammanfattning: Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer which struck women around the world. When a human is exposed to threat or stress, e.g. breast cancer, different coping strategies are used in order to cope with the situation by the afflicted person. The aim of this literature study was to describe how women, who suffered from breast cancer, experienced coping with their situation. Scientific articles were found in the databases Medline (Pub Med) and Cinahl. A total of 14 articles were chosen regarding to the inclusion criteria and were assessed, analyzed and compiled. The result of the study showed that the women coped with their situation with different and varied strategies. These strategies were categorised in all ready known main categories: problem based, emotional, meaning based and religious coping. The sub categories that emerged under problem based were: seek and find support, educate oneself, have a positive attitude and remaining strategies, under emotional; avoidance and distraction, live a normal life, emotionally composed activities, the use of humour, have a passive attitude, under meaning based; acceptance, the will to survive, lean on hope, newfound meaning and personal development, under religious; faith and spirituality, the relationship to God, prayer for strength and support and remaining categories. Altogether the result displayed a variety of coping strategies that were different depending on the person and the unique situation and it is of great importance that medical staff possesses this knowledge in order to understand patients different ways to cope with their illness.