Dumrongpanapakorn Phensiri, Liamputtong Pranee
Research andInternational Relations, Boromarajonani College of Nursing Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Phanom University, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand.
School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
Health Promot Int. 2017 Oct 1;32(5):768-777. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dav023.
Social support plays a critical role in how women living with breast cancer deal with their diagnosis and treatment. This article discusses the meanings of breast cancer and the experiences of social support among women living with breast cancer in Northeastern Thailand (Isan). In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women with breast cancer. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis method. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be a traumatic experience. However, many women with breast cancer managed to deal with their illnesses and treatments and this was based largely on social support they received. Available support from family members, friends, neighbours, religion and health care professionals was essential for them to deal with their breast cancer. Social support was an important component for the provision of good care for these women and women living with breast cancer. Although medical treatments were essential for breast cancer, social support could enhance the effectiveness of the treatments as it helped women to have positive perspectives about their health conditions and to better deal with their illnesses. Our findings are useful for sensitive health promotion for women with breast cancer in Thailand and elsewhere. Social support should be modified to meet the woman's individual needs. Health professionals are an important source of social support for women with breast cancer. Having an understanding and being sensitive to these women's experiences and challenges means that health care professionals can provide more individualised support and care to women during their vulnerable period of life.
社会支持在乳腺癌女性应对其疾病诊断和治疗的过程中发挥着关键作用。本文探讨了乳腺癌的意义以及泰国东北部（伊桑）乳腺癌女性的社会支持经历。对18名乳腺癌女性进行了深入访谈。采用主题分析法对数据进行了分析。被诊断出患有乳腺癌可能是一次创伤性经历。然而，许多乳腺癌女性成功应对了她们的疾病和治疗，这在很大程度上基于她们所获得的社会支持。来自家庭成员、朋友、邻居、宗教和医疗保健专业人员的现有支持对她们应对乳腺癌至关重要。社会支持是为这些女性以及乳腺癌女性提供良好护理的重要组成部分。尽管医疗治疗对乳腺癌至关重要，但社会支持可以提高治疗效果，因为它帮助女性对自己的健康状况持有积极的看法，并更好地应对疾病。我们的研究结果对泰国及其他地区乳腺癌女性的敏感性健康促进很有用。社会支持应根据女性的个体需求进行调整。医疗保健专业人员是乳腺癌女性社会支持的重要来源。了解并对这些女性的经历和挑战保持敏感意味着医疗保健专业人员可以在她们生命的脆弱时期为女性提供更个性化的支持和护理。
