PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors may experience functional changes to their voice, speech and hearing following curative chemoradiotherapy. However, few studies have explored the impact of living with such changes from the perspective of the HNC survivor and their carer. The current study employed a person-centred approach to explore the lived experience of communication changes following chemoradiotherapy treatment for HNC from the perspective of survivors and carers. METHOD: Participants included 14 survivors with non-glottic HNC and nine carers. All participants took part in in-depth interviews where they were encouraged to describe their experiences of living with and adjusting to communication changes following treatment. Interviews were analysed as a single data set. RESULT: Four themes emerged including: (1) impairments in communication sub-systems; (2) the challenges of communicating in everyday life; (3) broad ranging effects of communication changes; and (4) adaptations as a result of communication changes. CONCLUSION: These data confirm that communication changes following chemoradiotherapy have potentially negative psychosocial impacts on both the HNC survivor and their carer. Clinicians should consider the impact of communication changes on the life of the HNC survivor and their carer and provide adequate and timely education and management to address the needs of this population.
PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors may experience functional changes to their voice, speech and hearing following curative chemoradiotherapy. However, few studies have explored the impact of living with such changes from the perspective of the HNC survivor and their carer. The current study employed a person-centred approach to explore the lived experience of communication changes following chemoradiotherapy treatment for HNC from the perspective of survivors and carers. METHOD:Participants included 14 survivors with non-glottic HNC and nine carers. All participants took part in in-depth interviews where they were encouraged to describe their experiences of living with and adjusting to communication changes following treatment. Interviews were analysed as a single data set. RESULT: Four themes emerged including: (1) impairments in communication sub-systems; (2) the challenges of communicating in everyday life; (3) broad ranging effects of communication changes; and (4) adaptations as a result of communication changes. CONCLUSION: These data confirm that communication changes following chemoradiotherapy have potentially negative psychosocial impacts on both the HNC survivor and their carer. Clinicians should consider the impact of communication changes on the life of the HNC survivor and their carer and provide adequate and timely education and management to address the needs of this population.
Entities:
Keywords:
Head and neck cancer; carers; chemoradiotherapy; communication; qualitative research
Authors: Laura W J Baijens; Margaret Walshe; Leena-Maija Aaltonen; Christoph Arens; Reinie Cordier; Patrick Cras; Lise Crevier-Buchman; Chris Curtis; Wojciech Golusinski; Roganie Govender; Jesper Grau Eriksen; Kevin Hansen; Kate Heathcote; Markus M Hess; Sefik Hosal; Jens Peter Klussmann; C René Leemans; Denise MacCarthy; Beatrice Manduchi; Jean-Paul Marie; Reza Nouraei; Claire Parkes; Christina Pflug; Walmari Pilz; Julie Regan; Nathalie Rommel; Antonio Schindler; Annemie M W J Schols; Renee Speyer; Giovanni Succo; Irene Wessel; Anna C H Willemsen; Taner Yilmaz; Pere Clavé Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2020-12-19 Impact factor: 2.503
Authors: Katherine R Sterba; Jane Zapka; Kent E Armeson; Keisuke Shirai; Amy Buchanan; Terry A Day; Anthony J Alberg Journal: J Psychosoc Oncol Date: 2017-05-01
Authors: Rhys Weaver; Moira O'Connor; Raelee M Golding; Chandrika Gibson; Rohen White; Melanie Jackson; Danette Langbecker; Anna Maria Bosco; Maureen Tan; Georgia K B Halkett Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2022-01-23 Impact factor: 3.359