The Lives of Older People With Advanced Cancer Who Live Alone During Outpatient Cancer Chemotherapy: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.
Reiko Sugiyama, Yoriko Nakamura
PMID 40064605WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults living alone with advanced cancer and outpatient chemotherapy described getting by through endurance and effort while protecting independence, and some said they did not tell nurses about symptoms.
Key findings
01The core theme was getting by through endurance, ingenuity and effort in an increasingly fragile “own vessel,” in order to survive a little longer and fulfill one's life.
02Participants valued independence and avoiding being a nuisance to others, even their own families.
03Some participants said they did not ask nurses about problems because they did not think talking would make a difference.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a qualitative study of 12 participants, so it describes experiences rather than testing whether any nursing or support approach improves outcomes. Participants came from one major hospital in Tohoku, Japan, and recruitment from other prefectures or facilities was not possible because of COVID-19 restrictions, so the themes may not transfer to other settings. Each participant was interviewed only once, and the study did not follow the same people over time, so it may miss how their lives changed during treatment. Participants had to be aware of their diagnosis and prognosis and have physical and mental capacity to take part, so people who were too unwell, confused, unaware, or unable to consent were not represented.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that nurses should use a specific support strategy because it will improve quality of life. This was a descriptive qualitative study of 12 people's experiences, not a test of an intervention, and it did not measure outcomes.