Ung vuxen med cancer - behov och upplevelser under och efter behandling : En litteraturstudie

Sammanfattning: Background: In Sweden, approximately 800 young adults between 16-30 years of age are affected by a cancer disease. Studies has shown that this is not only the medical treatment that affects how patients live with their cancer, but also how their psychological health are affected. When a young adult gets a cancer diagnosis can thoughts about the disease, death, changed body image, loss of fertility etcetera be particularly disturbing and anxiety evoking. To achieve good health and quality of life, care and good relations between patient and nurses are important. Aim: The aim of the literature study was to: 1) Examine young adults experiences of a cancer disease, 2) Experienced need of support from healthcare professionals and 3) Experiences of psychosocial support from nurses during and after treatment. Method: A literature study where qualitative articles were searched through the database Pubmed. 10 original articles out of a total of 27 articles were included because they met the inclusion criteria and were either medium or high quality. Results: The analysis revealed nine themes based on the three questions; attitudes and emotional reactions related to the disease, changed perception of identity, positive aspects of the disease, post-treatment reactions, support from family and friends, support and adaptation within health care, informative support, personal and emotional support and participation and trust. The need for information from healthcare professionals was particularly prominent, especially on the topics of sexuality and fertility. The importance of obtaining information in a manner that is easy to understand was highlighted. The majority of young adults experienced positive support from nurses which made them gain confidence, trust and joy. Conclusion: Young adults have an increased need for continuous information and guidance during and after treatment. Nurses need to be better at communicating, which would contribute to increased understanding and provide security for the patient in order to feel better mentally. Nurses have an important role in providing advice and information in areas which the patient lack knowledge in.