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- Engvall, Gunn, 1955-, et al.
(författare)
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Children's experiences and responses towards an intervention for psychological preparation for radiotherapy.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Radiation Oncology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1748-717X. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Children can experience distress when undergoing radiotherapy as a reaction to being scared of and unfamiliar with the procedure. The aim was to evaluate children's experiences and responses towards an intervention for psychological preparation for radiotherapy.METHODS: A case control design with qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews and statistical analysis of anxiety ratings were used for evaluating a strategy for psychological preparation and distraction. Fifty-seven children aged 2 to 18 years and their parents participated - 30 children in the baseline group and 27 in the intervention group. Child interviews were performed and the child and their parents rated the child's anxiety.RESULTS: The intervention was most appropriate for the younger children, who enjoyed the digital story, the stuffed animal and training with their parents. There were some technical problems and the digital story was not detailed enough to fit exactly with various cancer diagnoses. Children described suggestions for improvement of the intervention. The ratings of the child's anxiety during radiation treatment showed no differences between the baseline group and the intervention group.CONCLUSIONS: The children of all the age groups experienced their interventions as positive. The strength of the intervention was that it encouraged interaction within the family and provided an opportunity for siblings and peers to take part in what the child was going through. Future research on children's experiences to interventions should be encouraged. The intervention and the technical solutions could improve by further development.
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| 2. |
- Engvall, Gunn, et al.
(författare)
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It Is Tough and Tiring but It Works - Children's Experiences of Undergoing Radiotherapy
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Approximately 300 children ages 0 to 18 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden every year, and 80 to 90 of them undergo radiotherapy treatment. The aim was to describe children's experiences of preparing for and undergoing radiotherapy, and furthermore to describe children's suggestions for improvement. Thirteen children between the ages of 5 and 15 with various cancer diagnoses were interviewed. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed five categories: positive and negative experiences with hospital stays and practical arrangements; age-appropriate information, communication, and guidance to various degrees; struggle with emotions; use of distraction and other suitable coping strategies; and children's suggestions for improvement during radiotherapy. An overarching theme emerged: "It is tough and tiring but it works". Some key areas were: explanatory visits, the need for information and communication, being afraid, discomfort and suffering, the need for media distraction, dealing with emotions, and the need for support. A systematic, family-centered preparation program could possible help families prepare and individualized distraction during radiotherapy could contribute to reducing distress. Further studies with interventions could clarify successful programs.
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| 6. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Children Undergoing Radiotherapy : Swedish Parents' Experiences and Suggestions for Improvement
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public library science. - 1932-6203. ; 10:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Approximately 300 children, from 0 to 18 years old, are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden every year. Of these children, 80-90 of them undergo radiotherapy treatment for their cancer. Although radiotherapy is an encounter with advanced technology, few studies have investigated the child's and the parent's view of the procedure. As part of an ongoing multi-center study aimed to improve patient preparation and the care environment in pediatric radiotherapy, this article reports the findings from interviews with parents at baseline. The aim of the present study was twofold: to describe parents' experience when their child undergoes radiotherapy treatment, and to report parents' suggestions for improvements during radiotherapy for their children. Sixteen mothers and sixteen fathers of children between 2-16 years old with various cancer diagnoses were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings showed that cancer and treatment turns people's lives upside down, affecting the entire family. Further, the parents experience the child's suffering and must cope with intense feelings. Radiotherapy treatment includes preparation by skilled and empathetic staff. The parents gradually find that they can deal with the process; and lastly, parents have suggestions for improvements during the radiotherapy treatment. An overarching theme emerged: that despair gradually turns to a sense of security, with a sustained focus on and close interaction with the child. In conclusion, an extreme burden was experienced around the start of radiotherapy, though parents gradually coped with the process.
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| 7. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Parents’ experiences and responses to an intervention for psychological preparation of children and families during the child’s radiotherapy
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1043-4542 .- 1532-8457. ; 35:2, s. 132-148
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to evaluate parents’ experiences and responses to a systematic intervention for psychological preparation of children and families during the child’s radiotherapy (RT) treatment. In this case-control study at 3 pediatric RT centers, an intervention with a preparatory kit, including age-adjusted information on tablets, gift of a stuffed toy or a pair of headphones, a parent booklet, and toy models of the computed tomography and RT machines was implemented. For evaluation, a mixed methods data collection was conducted. A total of 113 parents of children undergoing RT were included—n = 59 in the baseline group and n = 54 in the intervention group. Health-related quality of life was rated low, but parents in the intervention group expressed less anxiety after the RT compared with the baseline group. They found information suitable for their young children, siblings, and friends were involved and the toy models were used for play. Parents expressed positive feelings due to close interaction with staff and each other within the family. The solutions developed within a human-centered design approach and shaped as a systematic family-centered strategy contributed to parents understanding and coping with the child’s RT.
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| 8. |
- Ångström-Brännström, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Staff's Experiences of Preparing and Caring for Children With Cancer and Their Families During the Child's Radiotherapy
- 2019
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Ingår i: Cancer Nursing. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 0162-220X .- 1538-9804. ; 42:5, s. E10-E18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Approximately one-third of children diagnosed with cancer are treated with radiotherapy (RT). Staff experiences of preparing and distracting the children and their families during a child’s RT are sparsely described.Objective: The aim of this study was to describe staff experiences of preparing and caring for children with cancer and their families during the child’s RT.Intervention/Methods: Semistructured interviews with staff were performed at 3 Swedish RT centers. The interviews were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.Results: The analysis revealed 5 categories summarizing the staff members’ experiences. These include the following: experiences of various emotions; care for the child and the child’s family; commitments before, during, and after RT; organizational issues; and experiences of the intervention and suggestions for improvement.Conclusions: The preparatory intervention facilitated the ability of staff members to conduct their work, although the intervention should be specifically tailored to each child. Meeting children and their families and providing care to both during RT were challenging. The staff strived to provide optimal care for each child and family. Interdisciplinary teamwork and organizational acceptance for the importance of preparation and distraction were essential.Implications for Practice: A future challenge will be to provide opportunities for all staff involved in the treatment of children with cancer to develop their skills continuously in order to provide high-quality preparation and distraction to all children undergoing RT, regardless of the geographical location of the RT center.
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| 9. |
- Baba, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Use of a modified ESAS in cancer patients : a pilot study of patient and staff experiences
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - : Mark Allen Group company. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 13:12, s. 610-616
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of a modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) for monitoring symptoms in oncological palliative care.Methods: A modified ESAS was delivered daily to 28 patients with advanced cancer. A questionnaire to discover staff members’ opinions on the ESAS was delivered at the end of the study. Structured interviews were used to examine patients’ opinions on the ESAS.Results: The mean total ESAS score was 28.9 on inclusion day and 25.8 on Day 3 (p=0.531). Eleven of 21 of the staff considered the ESAS to be a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ way to obtain information about patients’ symptoms. Seventeen of 24 patients who participated in the interview felt that ESAS was easy to fill in, and that there were no missing questions.Conclusion: The patients felt that the modified ESAS contained relevant symptoms, and that the questionnaires were easy to fill in. The staff considered the modified ESAS to be a useful instrument for obtaining information about patients’ symptom distress. The modified ESAS is a good instrument for use as part of the daily clinical routine, as well as for monitoring symptoms in palliative oncological care.
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| 10. |
- Brandefors, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Familial Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and relation to immune defects, autoimmune diseases, and haematological malignancies : a population-based study from northern Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: Acta Oncologica. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0284-186X .- 1651-226X. ; 55:1, s. 91-98
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare lymphoprolipherative disorder with geographic and ethnic disparities in incidence. The cause of WM remains mostly unknown although a role for genetic, immune-related, and environmental factors has been suggested. Most cases of WM are sporadic although familial cases occur. Aim: This study estimated the incidence of WM in northern Sweden and identified and described patients with familial WM in this area. Patients and methods: The Swedish and Northern Lymphoma Registry, the Swedish Cancer Registry (1997-2011), and medical records were used to identify patients with WM in two counties (Norrbotten and Västerbotten) in northern Sweden and to calculate the overall age-adjusted incidence (2000-2012). We identified 12 families with a family history of WM, IgM monoclonal gammophathy (MGUS), and/or multiple myeloma (MM). Results: In Norrbotten and Västerbotten, the age-adjusted incidence of WM/LPL is 1.75 and 1.48 per 100 000 persons per year, respectively (2000-2012), rates that are higher than the overall incidence of WM/LPL in Sweden (1.05 per 100 000 persons per year; 2000-2012). Autoimmune diseases and other haematological malignancies in the medical history (their own or in relatives) were reported in 9/12 and 5/12 families, respectively. A high proportion of abnormal serum protein electrophoresis was found in the relatives; 12/56 (21%) had a MGUS and 13/56 (25%) showed abnormalities in the immunoglobulin levels (i.e. subnormal levels and poly/oligoclonality). Conclusion: The incidence of WM in Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties was higher than expected. We found a strong correlation between autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, other haematological malignancies, and familial WM and a high frequency of serum immunoglobulin abnormalities in the relatives of the WM patients, findings that strengthen the hypothesis that the aetiology of WM depends on both immune-related and genetic factors.
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