Experiences of Symptoms and Impact on Daily Life and Health in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: A Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Research.
Jenny Drott, Bergthor Björnsson, Per Sandström and 1 others
PMID 35025775WHAT IT FOUND
Hepatocellular carcinoma patients described overwhelming life disruption, stigma, and uncertainty about symptoms caused by disease or treatment.
They often withdrew to avoid burdening others, so nurses may need to ask directly about symptoms and experiences.
Key findings
01The synthesis identified three themes: disrupted life, living with uncertainty, and a changed body.
02Patients described hepatocellular carcinoma as stigmatizing, partly because of associations with alcohol and drug abuse, which increased life disruption.
03Patients found it hard to tell whether symptoms were caused by the disease or treatment, creating ongoing uncertainty.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The synthesis included only five studies, so it may not capture the full range of patient experiences. Only English-language studies published between January 2009 and December 2019 were included, so experiences from other languages or settings may be missing. The included studies had sample sizes from 14 to 40 participants and came from four countries, so the findings may not apply to all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. This is a qualitative synthesis of patients' experiences, not a test of whether asking about symptoms or providing information changes health outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that nurse-led symptom assessment or patient-centered information improves outcomes. The paper describes patients' experiences from five qualitative studies, not tested interventions.