College of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5330, USA.
Cancer Nurs. 2012 Mar-Apr;35(2):126-32. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e31821bd054.
Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors often exhibit late symptoms or adverse effects of treatment that may severely disrupt their ability to speak, eat, breathe, and associate with others. Research has focused on survival and quality of life associated with treatment and/or stage of cancer. Although research shows communication problems in 50% of survivors, few studies have assessed functional speech, and none describe HNC survivor perspectives on speech or communication more broadly.
The purpose of this study was to describe survivors' experience of communication during and after treatment.
A phenomenological, descriptive, and interpretive research method was used to study 39 HNC survivors. Interviews included open-ended questions about their communication experiences. Researchers conducted line-by-line coding, identified theme labels, and compared themes in all interviews. Procedures to ensure scientific rigor included data validation and consensus.
Intertwined positive/negative aspects of communication were described. Two major themes were identified: "change in communication," which included functional aspects of communication, and "going deeper into life," which included the positive aspects of the process.
This study is the first to describe day-to-day communication experiences from the perspective of HNC survivors. The deeply personal aspects of communication included functional and existential themes far beyond the ability to speak. For these participants, deeper change came from their experience and was carried forward in their lives.
Survivors benefited from support and understanding offered by family, friends, and healthcare professionals. This difficult situation served as a catalyst for deeper human change.
头颈部癌症（HNC）幸存者经常出现治疗后的晚期症状或不良反应，这些症状可能严重影响他们的言语、饮食、呼吸和社交能力。研究主要集中在与治疗和/或癌症分期相关的生存和生活质量上。尽管研究表明 50%的幸存者存在沟通问题，但很少有研究评估功能性言语，也没有研究更广泛地描述 HNC 幸存者对言语或沟通的看法。
本研究旨在描述幸存者在治疗期间和治疗后的沟通体验。
采用现象学、描述性和解释性研究方法，对 39 名 HNC 幸存者进行研究。访谈包括关于他们沟通经历的开放式问题。研究人员逐行编码，确定主题标签，并比较所有访谈中的主题。确保科学严谨性的程序包括数据验证和共识。
描述了沟通中交织的积极/消极方面。确定了两个主要主题：“沟通的变化”，包括沟通的功能方面，以及“深入生活”，包括这一过程的积极方面。
这项研究首次从 HNC 幸存者的角度描述了日常生活中的沟通体验。沟通的深刻个人方面包括功能和存在主题，远远超出了言语能力。对这些参与者来说，更深层次的变化来自于他们的经历，并在他们的生活中延续。
幸存者从家人、朋友和医疗保健专业人员提供的支持和理解中受益。这种困难的情况成为更深层次人类变化的催化剂。
