A family's beliefs about cancer, dying, and death in the end of life

• The purpose of this case study was to describe the beliefs over time of a Swedish family and individual family members about cancer and death and how these beliefs affected their daily lives. Data were collected over 10 months using interviews, conversations, and diary notations. The beliefs were aggregated into eight main beliefs and four themes: Cancer is a deadly threat/death is a liberator, death can be held at bay/death can be lived near, dying is done alone/dying should not be done alone, and life has an end/life is endless. These beliefs appear to oscillate between seemingly contrasting poles. Some beliefs were shared by all family members, whereas others were described by only one or more members of the family. The complexity of daily life in families experiencing life-shortening illness underscores the need of individualized nursing care with openness to difference and collaboration as guiding principles.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adult

Aged

Attitude to Death

Decision Making

Family/*psychology

Female

Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*psychology

Humans

Interviews as Topic

Middle Aged

Sweden

Terminal Care

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Caring sciences

Vårdvetenskap

Nursing Science

Vårdvetenskap

Nursing Science

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)