The role of patient, the physician and health care system in experiences of cancer patients under outpatient oncology treatments

Abstract

Background: Today, cancer is one of the most important medical problems. Successful management of cancer patients requires an understanding of their experiences. The study aimed to explore cancer patients’ experiences under outpatient oncology treatments. Methods: The phenomenological approach was used to access the depths of experiences felt by patients. The study was done in specialized cancer hospitals and private hospitals. Data was gathered through in-depth and unstructured interviews with participants with previous arrangements. Data precision and robustness were determined based on Guba and Lincoln criteria. Data analysis was carried out based on Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Results: A total of 9 people participated in this study. The experiences of cancer patients were categorized into five main concepts, including 1) Individual problems, 2) Expectations from the physician and health care system, 3) the quality of the health care system, 4) Coping with cancer, and 5) Support in the fight against cancer. Conclusions: These patients have a wide range of medical, psychological, support, and emotional needs, which are only known to themselves. Cancer itself is not the source of all these problems; instead, they have various sources, including family, society, policy-making, and treatment teams, many of which can be solved with proper education. Therefore, it is necessary to offer comprehensive planning, starting with medical teams, and create the required infrastructures in society.

Keywords

• experiences
• outpatients
• qualitative research
• cancer
• oncology