The experience of transplantation for patients and their significant ones: A difficult encounter of two worlds

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_A1BC9FFBC2AC
Type
Inproceedings: an article in a conference proceedings.
Publication sub-type
Abstract (Abstract): shot summary in a article that contain essentials elements presented during a scientific conference, lecture or from a poster.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The experience of transplantation for patients and their significant ones: A difficult encounter of two worlds
Title of the conference
19th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS)
Author(s)
Piot-Ziegler C., Ruffiner-Boner N., Fasseur F., Demierre M., Castelao E., Ben Sassi M.L., Pascual M.
Address
Galway, Ireland, August 31-September 3, 2005
ISBN
0887-0446
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2005
Volume
20
Series
Psychology and Health
Pages
217
Language
english
Notes
Publication type : Meeting Abstract
Abstract
Objectives This paper reports on a longitudinal qualitative study exploring concerns of 60 patients
before and after transplantation.
Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted without time constraints in a protected space
out of the hospital. Qualitative analysis was performed.
Results Prior to transplantation, all patients talked freely about negative feelings, stigmatisation,
being misunderstood by others, loneliness and culpability caused by increasing physical dependency
or abandoned roles. They mentioned alternative ways to cope (magic, spirituality), and
even expressed their right to let go. In a subset of 13 patients, significant ones allowed themselves
in the interview, or were integrated on the request of the patients. In this modified setting, two
illness-worlds were confronted. If common themes were mentioned (e.g., modified life plans,
restricted space, physical and psychological barriers), they were experienced differently. Fear of
transplantation or guilt towards the donors was overtly expressed, often for the first time.
Mutual hiding of anxiety in order to protect loved ones or to prevent loss of control was disclosed.
The significant ones talked about accumulated stress and exhaustion related to the physical degradation
of the patient, fear of the unpredictable evolution of illness and financial problems, and
stressed their difficulty to adapt adequately to the fluctuating state of the patient. After transplantation,
other themes emerged, where difficulty in disclosure was observed: intensive care and near
death experiences, being a transplanted person, debt to the donor and his/her family, fear of
rejection.
Conclusions With the self-imposed strategy of hiding concerns to protect one another, a discrepancy
between two illness-worlds was created. When concerns were confronted during the interviews, a new
mutual understanding emerged. Patients and their families stated the need for sharing concerns in the
course of illness.
Keywords
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Web of science
Create date
29/12/2010 12:37
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:07
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