The mean age of the participants was 48.18 years. 82% of women were married (n=18). 45.5% of the women had diploma (n=10). 77.3% of the study participants were housewives.
After completion of the process of analysing, six categories were appeared. Categories, subcategories, and some stories of the participants in this regard are expressed as follows:
1) Creating an Empathic Atmosphere by the Family and the Community
This dimension of social support was one of the common factors in the experiences of the participants. They stated that after being diagnosed with this disease, their family members, friends, relatives, and even the healthcare team were more empathic towards them and made it easier to endure the problem by their good behavior and support. The community and the family created an empathic environment by providing a happy life, strengthening their self-confidence, giving hopeful thoughts, highlighting the role of the patient in the family, physician’s empathy with the patient, and encouraging to do exercise and recreational activities, which resulted in the appearance of the protective effects of social support in the patients and led to their emotional well-being.
One of the woman said in this regard: “After my disease was diagnosed, we did more recreational activities because I was told that I should keep my spirit up to get better. My husband took me traveling and it made me feel better. Everybody was trying to keep me entertained, to make me happy, and to stop me from obsessing over my disease. And I tried to enjoy life more than before” (p18)
2) Creating a Safe Communication Network for the Patient
Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer could cause various emotional and physical problems for the patients and their families and affect the quality of their lives in many aspects. However, creating a safe communication network for the patients is very important and can be effective in reducing some of their problems. The families and friends were trying to create a safe communication environment for the patients by helping them out of their isolation and creating a safe and healthy environment. Besides, the patients boosted their energy and spirit by preserving their relationship with others and get energy from their behaviors and support.
A particioant explained: “The support of my friends and family had a great impact on me! Once I was laying down and I was quite sad, my husband came to me and said you are the pillar of my life and when you are like this what am I supposed to do with our children?! It moved me and raised my energy and spirit” (p14).
3) Effectively Adapting to the Disease
Effecting adapting to the disease requires time passage to carry out the required measures for diagnosing, treatment, and rehabilitation. Furthermore, a variety of factors impacted the acceleration of this process, which the women with cancer called them resilience and life satisfaction, hope to future, following the process of treatment, learning new skills for fighting the disease, coping with the disease, reducing of stress and increasing of the strength to fight the disease, and gradually revealing the disease to others.
A woman said in this regard: “We did not have enough information about our disease, but the doctors and nurses were very knowledgeable and we did what they told us to and achieved good results” (p8).
4) Giving Meaning to Life
This dimension of social support was one of the common priorities among all of the participants. Women with cancer expressed that this disease gave a new meaning to their lives and they can recover sooner if they come to a new understanding of life goals and making efforts to achieve their goals. Women’s experience included understanding the meaning of life despite the disease, spiritual development after the disease, understanding the beauty of life, better recognition of the value of life, contemplating on the creation and one’s destiny, setting goals for their lives and the future of their children and themselves.
A employed married woman described her experience as: “After my diagnosis, I was satisfied with God and had a better view of life. I said to myself I will try to make the best of each moment of my life so that my family and I could live happy and healthy together. Now I appreciate life more than before” (p17).
5) Satisfaction with the Healthcare providers for Fulfilling Their Role
Women with breast cancer suffer from a wide range of social, psychological, mental, and physical symptoms during the process of diagnosis and treatment. On the other hand, treatment methods cause short-term and long-term complications in these patients. During the difficult conditions, the attitude and behavior of the healthcare providers had a considerable impact on the process of treatment of these patients. The satisfaction with the health care providers for fulfilling their roles was among the common experiences of the participants that were expressed as receiving enough information and explanations about the disease, the tendency to receive care form the fixed personnel, expressing gratitude to the members of health care team, and adherence to treatment due to the good behavior of the health care providers (Table No. 1).
A single woman said in this regard: “I told the nurses now that you put up with us, God will watch over you. I hope that you will never face any problem. You are supporting and tolerating us, you are taking care of us God bless you” (p1).
6) Accepting the Support and Cooperation of the Family and Friends in Fighting with the Disease
According to the patients’ statements, one of the effective factors in the recovery of women with breast cancer was the good cooperation of their family and friends and their support. Communicating with other patients and survivors of breast cancer, talking to them about their experiences from this disease, were important and effective in finding methods to fight this disease and cope with the side effects of the treatment. Women’s experience in this regard are as follows: The impact of the support of husband and family on recovery, the communication with acquaintances and participating in the social activities, boosting spirit and acceleration in the process of treatment, communicating with people in the same situation and sharing the experiences, the role of the husband and family in praying and offering oblations for the patients’ health.
One of the woman said: “In the hospital, I talked to people who were like me who had breast cancer and I used the experiences of others who had this disease. Every time I saw them, I told myself that I am not alone and there are other people like me and they have been cured. It raised my spirit and gave me hope” (p22).
Table No. 1
A Sample of the Data Indicating the Experiences and the Dimensions of Social Support in Women Suffering from Breast Cancer
Meaning Unit
|
Summarized Meaning Unit
|
Initial Codes
|
Subcategory
|
Category
|
Theme
|
The health care providers' recommendation to avoid going to crowded places to prevent infection
Recommendation to constantly wash their hands and practice personal hygiene
|
Recommendation to avoid crowded places to prevent infection
Recommendation for practicing personal hygiene
|
Receiving the required explanations regarding the
prevention from infection
|
Receiving the required explanations regarding the disease
|
Satisfaction with the Healthcare providers for Fulfilling Their Role
|
The Perceived Social Support During the Disease
|
Recommendation to receive sufficient amount and required food to prevent the side effects of chemotherapy
|
Recommendation for getting the required and sufficient nutritional diet
|
Recommendation to have a healthy and proper diet
|
Expressing gratitude to the healthcare providers
|
Praying for all physicians and nurses
Expressing gratitude to the efforts and endeavors of all care-treatment personnel
Having a good relationship with the physicians and nurses in the hospital
|
Praying for the personnel of the healthcare providers
Expressing gratitude to the efforts and endeavors of the healthcare providers
Keeping a good relationship with the physicians and nurses
|
Praying for the healthcare providers
Expressing gratitude to the efforts the healthcare providers
Keeping a good relationship with the healthcare providers
|