Connell Shirley, Patterson Carla, Newman Beth
Centre for Health Research, School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia.
Support Care Cancer. 2006 May;14(5):419-26. doi: 10.1007/s00520-005-0003-8. Epub 2006 Feb 4.
Young women tend to experience many similar issues to that of their older counterparts, although more negatively and intensively. However, they also have specific concerns, which are not so apparent in studies that include a wide age range of participants. The aim of this study was to identify and explore the issues and concerns of Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 41 years.
We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a self-selected, convenience sample of 35 Australian women with breast cancer, diagnosed at 40 years of age or younger and no more than 4 years previously. Themes found within the literature about 'younger' women up to 50 years of age provided guidance to the interviews. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed using the basic analytical principles of data reduction, data display and drawing conclusions. The data were initially subdivided according to the literature-derived themes. Content analysis was performed on the categories developed, revealing the most pressing concerns of participants.
Second to fear of recurrence and future uncertainty, children and family were the most commonly reported major personal concern. Consumer-related issues and concerns for children and family were equally reported as the greatest general concern of young women with breast cancer. The greatest unmet need of participants was support.
Age-appropriate information and support for this group of young women with breast cancer remains a challenge. This paper suggests ways young Australian women with breast cancer can access additional support with the use of technology.
年轻女性往往会经历许多与年长女性类似的问题，尽管这些问题对她们的负面影响更大、程度更深。然而，她们也有一些特定的担忧，这些担忧在涵盖广泛年龄范围参与者的研究中并不那么明显。本研究的目的是识别和探讨41岁之前被诊断出患有乳腺癌的澳大利亚女性所面临的问题和担忧。
我们对35名澳大利亚乳腺癌女性患者进行了深入的半结构化访谈，这些患者是自我选择的便利样本，年龄在40岁及以下，且确诊时间不超过4年。关于50岁及以下“年轻”女性的文献中所发现的主题为访谈提供了指导。访谈录音被逐字转录。使用数据简化、数据展示和得出结论的基本分析原则对数据进行分析。数据最初根据文献衍生的主题进行细分。对所形成的类别进行内容分析，揭示参与者最迫切的担忧。
仅次于对复发和未来不确定性的恐惧，孩子和家庭是最常被提及的主要个人担忧。与消费者相关的问题以及对孩子和家庭的担忧同样被报告为年轻乳腺癌女性最普遍的担忧。参与者最未得到满足的需求是支持。
为这群年轻乳腺癌女性提供适合其年龄的信息和支持仍然是一项挑战。本文提出了澳大利亚年轻乳腺癌女性利用技术获得更多支持的方法。
