Living with and beyond cancer: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

Purposeto provide a bicultural perspective on the views of people who have completed cancer treatment and, of health providers.Design/methodology/approachQualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 29 individuals (people who had recently completed cancer treatment and health providers). General inductive analysis was undertaken with all interview data, and a Kaupapa Māori approach was employed with the data from Māori participants.FindingsThemes for Māori participants are as follows: (1) understanding health information is enhanced by connection and relationship; (2) the “professional” is personal and (3) enduring beyond cancer is “our” responsibility. Themes for non-Māori participants are as follows: (1) from survivorship to living with and beyond cancer; (2) from the hospital to primary care and (3) support for living with and beyond cancer.Practical implicationsPositive relationships, communication and self-determination are important for Māori making the transition from hospital to the community after cancer treatment. Well-coordinated processes and services are vital for supporting transitions from hospital to community for non-Māori living with and beyond cancer.Originality/valueThis research presents the diversity of Māori and non-Māori experiences of living with and beyond cancer, adding to the limited New Zealand literature regarding post-treatment supportive care. This paper is among the first to undertake separate interviews and thematic analyses of Māori and non-Māori experiences, and to report these separately. Determinants of positive survivorship experiences are identified, specifying a central and expanded role for cancer care services.