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Researching the experience of kidney cancer patients
Author(s) -
Taylor K.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2354.2002.00349.x
Subject(s) - medicine , kidney cancer , value (mathematics) , cancer , relation (database) , psychotherapist , psychology , database , machine learning , computer science
Researching the experience of kidney cancer patients The author's personal experience as a kidney cancer patient, researcher and founder of a kidney cancer support group forms the basis for consideration of the challenges involved in researching patients’ experiences. The researcher needs to understand the variability of those experiences in both clinical and psychological‐emotional terms, and in relation to the personal, familial and social contexts of the patient. It is also essential to define the purpose of the research and to show how an understanding of personal experiences of cancer can be used to enhance the quality of care for cancer patients. The research encounter with a patient is also in some respects a therapeutic encounter requiring a considerable degree of sensitivity on the part of the researcher. The person‐centred approach of Carl Rogers is of value in supporting such an encounter.