Parents’ experience of their healthy children’s participation in e-health support when a child in the family has cancer.

• Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate parents’ experience of their healthy children’s participation in e-health support when a child in the family has cancer. Method A qualitative descriptive method was employed in this interview study. Parents from families with a child with cancer and healthy siblings were individually interviewed about their experience of their healthy child’s participation in a person-centered support intervention combining education, learning and reflection. The sick child was newly diagnosed with cancer and had been receiving treatment for a maximum of 1 month. The data were collected during spring 2012. Seven parents participated in the study, 5 mothers and 2 fathers in 5 families with 14 healthy children. The interviews were conducted more in the form of a conversation between the interviewer and parent. A qualitative content analysis was used to draw a systematic conclusion from the text and to extract its message. Result The result comprises 3 preliminary themes. The parents perceived that: 1) ‘The healthy child via his/her contact could think and form an opinion through asking questions and receiving answers’; 2) ‘The healthy child was acknowledged and involved during the intervention’; and 3) ‘The child became calmer and more hopeful’. The parents felt unburdened as professionals in healthcare provided their healthy children with professional information about the sick child’s cancer and also support in understanding and managing their own reactions. Conclusion These results allow for a better understanding of the parents’ experiences of the situation of their healthy children. The study also indicates that a person centred nursing intervention using e-health in order to help the families may ease family burden.

Ämnesord

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

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

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