Past, present and future, the experience of time during examination for malignant brain tumor: a qualitative observational study

The relationship between time perspective and fear of cancer recurrence among Chinese gastric cancer patients: the chain mediating role of rumination and catastrophizing

PURPOSE

Gastric cancer patients often experience significant fear of recurrence, impacting their physical and mental health. This study explores how time perspective influences fear of cancer recurrence, considering the roles of intrusive rumination and catastrophizing.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was employed with 394 gastric cancer patients. Participants completed self-report measures assessing fear of cancer recurrence, time perspective, intrusive rumination, and catastrophizing. Pearson correlation analysis and bias-corrected percentile bootstrap methods were used to conduct chain mediation tests.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that time perspective had significant direct and indirect effects on fear of cancer recurrence, with intrusive rumination and catastrophizing partially mediating this relationship. Negative past perspectives and fatalistic present perspectives were associated with increased levels of fear of recurrence through heightened intrusive rumination and catastrophizing. Conversely, positive past perspectives and future perspectives were linked to reduced fear of recurrence by decreasing intrusive rumination and catastrophizing. Distorted from the balanced time perspective significantly increased levels of intrusive rumination and catastrophizing, thereby heightening patients' fear of recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that intrusive rumination and catastrophizing are key pathways through which time perspective influences fear of cancer recurrence. This study enhances our understanding of these psychological dynamics and underscores the importance of interventions targeting these mediating factors to prevent fear of recurrence in this population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

The chain mediating roles of rumination and Catastrophizing highlight that tailored interventions, such as time perspective therapy, can be targeted for this population, considering this population's unique needs.

Changes in Time Perception and Coping Strategies in Young Adults With Cancer: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

A cancer diagnosis is a traumatic event. Youths, in the most crucial stage in a person's life course, are more susceptible to the influence of cancer. The diagnosis disrupts the original life and time plans of young adults with cancer, resulting in a reconstruction of time perception and changes in coping strategies.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the changes in time perception and coping strategies in young adults with cancer.

METHODS

A phenomenological research methodology was used in the qualitative study. Thirty-one young adults with cancer were recruited. Semistructured interviews were conducted with them, and the interview data were analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step analysis method.

RESULTS

The study revealed 3 themes related to changes in time perception: perceived alterations in the speed of time, changes in remaining available time, and shifts in time preferences. Five themes were identified regarding coping strategies for changes in time perception: self-regulation of emotions, establishing spiritual beliefs, planning time effectively, returning to family life, and closure of the inner self.

CONCLUSIONS

Identifying changes in time perception among young adults with cancer through the speed of time, remaining available time, and time preference and guiding patients in adopting positive coping strategies can offer more effective cancer support and care for patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the changes in time perception in young adults with cancer and guide them to cope positively.

Erfüllte Gegenwart und Rhythmus des Lebens

Der Zusammenhang von Zeit und gutem Leben wurde bereits für eine Reihe medizinischer Disziplinen und Praktiken herausgearbeitet. Doch welche Rolle spielt die Zeitlichkeit des guten Lebens für die Medizin insgesamt? Das ist die leitende Frage dieses Artikels. Dabei wird das gute Leben als sinnvolles Leben verstanden. In diesem Sinne wird für eine zweifache medizinische Relevanz der Zeitlichkeit des guten Lebens argumentiert: Erstens besteht der Sinn medizinischer Behandlungen in der Ermöglichung erfüllter Gegenwart. Zweitens kann und sollte ebendies u. a. durch die Wahrung und Wiederherstellung der chronobiologischen Rhythmen geschehen.

Facilitators and barriers of relatives' involvement in nursing care decisions and self-care of patients with acquired brain injury or malignant brain tumour: A scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Involving relatives can contribute to better quality of care and treatment, and lead to higher satisfaction with hospitalisation in the patients, relatives and healthcare professionals. Nurses play an important role in developing a trusting relationship and facilitating relatives' involvement, since they are around the patient and relatives all day. Thus, involvement is central to the nursing practice. However, involving relatives seems complex and multifaceted with many possible facilitators and barriers to nurses.'

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the available evidence concerning possible facilitators and barriers to nurses involving relatives in the course of treating disease in individuals who have sustained an acquired brain injury or malignant brain tumour in all settings.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The proposed scoping review will be performed following the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Indexed and grey literature in English, Scandinavian or German languages from 2010 to the present will be considered. The searches will be conducted using bibliographic databases: Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL (via EBSCO) and EMBASE (via OVID). Two reviewers will independently screen the studies and determine if their title, abstract and full text meet the study's inclusion criteria. In case of disagreement, a third and fourth reviewer will be consulted. A customised data extraction form will be used to extract data from the included studies. The results will be presented in tabular form, accompanied by a narrative summary related to the objective of the present scoping review. This scoping review will consider studies that involve nurses caring for individuals with an acquired brain injury or malignant brain tumour in all settings (community, primary care, health care centres, hospital and long-term care institutions). Studies will be included if they describe any kind of facilitators or barriers to involving relatives, and the review will consider all study designs.

Patient experiences of waiting times in standardised cancer patient pathways in Norway - a qualitative interview study

Objective

Standardised cancer patient pathways (CPP) are implemented within cancer care with an aim to ensure standardised waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. This article investigates how patients in Norway experience waiting times within a CPP.

Methods

Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 19 patients who had been through CPP for breast cancer, prostate cancer or malignant melanoma in Norway.

Results

Few patients knew about the term CPP but trusted that waiting times were standardised to decrease mortality. Their experiences of waiting depended on their expectations as much as the period they waited. Patients generally felt safe about the timing of treatment, but not all expectations of a rapid response from health services were met. Short waiting times were interpreted as a sign of urgency, and a change of pace between urgent action and prolonged periods of waiting were disturbing.

Conclusions

Patients are comforted by knowing they are within a structured CPP that ensures rapid diagnosis and start of treatment. CPPs still need to be improved to avoid delays, allow for adaptions to patient needs, and include more information to avoid stress.