Högskolan i Skövde

Bakgrund: Bröstcancer är den vanligaste cancerformen bland kvinnor i Sverige och år 2014 registrerades 9730 bröstcancerfall. Överlevnaden i bröstcancer har ökat markant tack vare tidig upptäckt via mammografiundersökningar. Det är vanligt med starka känsloreaktioner så som ångest och oro vid ett bröstcancerbesked. Syfte: Kvinnors upplevelser av att drabbas av bröstcancer. Metod: Kvalitativ metod med en narrativ utgångspunkt valdes. Data samlades in via fem självbiografier som är beskrivna av kvinnor som drabbats av bröstcancer. Analysen genomfördes med en narrativ analysmetod. Resultat: Ur analysen framträdde två kategorier så som att vara i behov av stöd och kroppens förändras med fem underkategorier. Slutsats: Det var flera olika känsloreaktioner som kvinnorna upplevde efter att de drabbats av bröstcancer. Det var främst olika former av lidande, men även ångest och oro. Kvinnornas upplevelse utav att drabbas av bröstcancer var många gånger lika varandra samtidigt som varje kvinnas upplevelse utav att drabbas är unik.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Sweden, which in 2014 recorded 9730 cases of breast cancer. The survival of breast cancer has increased significantly thanks to early detect through mammography screening. Strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, worry and fear are common in breast cancer diagnosis. Purpose: Women’s experience of breast cancer. Method: Qualitative approach with a narrative starting point. Data was collected from five autobiographies that are described by women affected by breast cancer. The analysis was conducted through a narrative analysis. Results: Two main categories emerged from the analysis; to be in need of support and the body is changing with five subcategories. The result shows that the women did not know how to convey their cancer diagnosis to relatives and friends. Other women experienced suffering, both physically and mentally as a result of their bodily changes or to medical care who was not as much interest after the treatments where done. Conclusion: There were several different emotional reactions that women experienced after they suffered from breast cancer. It was mainly different forms of suffering, but also anxiety and worry. The women’s experience from breast cancer were often similar to each other while each woman’s suffering experience is unique.