What matters to you? – Free-text comments in a questionnaire from patients undergoing radiotherapy

• Background: Most cancer patients undergo external radiotherapy (RT) at some stage during their treatment trajectory and RT is often associated with unfamiliar procedures in a highly technical environment. The purpose of this study was to explore how patients experience RT and the related processes, as described in free-text comments in a large Swedish survey with questionnaires including items on psychosocial climate and treatment environment. Methods: The data consisted of free-text comments from one open-ended question: “Is there anything else you want us to know” and were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Of 825 returned questionnaires, 261 contained free-text comments from patients (32%). The analysis of the data resulted in four major categories: experiencing the high-tech RT environment, understanding the RT procedures and side effects, dealing with daily life during RT, and the nurses’ role and performance. Conclusion: The categories reflect the patients’ experiences and emphasize how important it is to evaluate what really matters to the patients when changing procedures, practices, and how to minimize disturbances in the patients’ daily lives. 

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

patient experience; radiotherapy; qualitative

onkologi

Oncology

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)