Vivências de pais de crianças e adolescentes com câncer : um enfoque fenomenológico existencial

• Ano de defesa: 2012
• Autor(a) principal: Benedetti, Gabriella Michel dos Santos
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Estadual de Maringá; Brasil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem; UEM; Maringá, PR; Departamento de Enfermagem
• Palavras-chave em Português: Câncer infantil; Tratamento; Crianças; Cuidado e tratamento; Assistência de enfermagem; Brasil.; Cancer; Children; Adolescents; Parents; Nursing; Brazil.; Ciências da Saúde; Enfermagem
• Link de acesso: http://repositorio.uem.br:8080/jspui/handle/1/2478

The discovery of cancer in children and adolescents is a terrifying event within the family, particularly in the parents' life. Since they feel themselves involved in the conflict between the hope of cure and the uncertainty of death, parents are likely to be perplexed and bewildered. Regardless of their expectations, they are inserted within a new type of unexpected environment and mixed-up feelings. In such occasions, it would be an asset if they could meet professionals that would give them the support they need and the comfort they require to relief their anxieties and sufferings. Current analysis reveals the experiences of parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer from the moment of their child's illness and treatment. A qualitative research based on Martin Heidegger's Existential Phenomenology was undertaken to understand the parents' experience. Current investigation was undertaken in a municipality in the northwestern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, between December 2011 and March 2012, at a charity association where assistance to poor people suffering from cancer and to their parents and relatives is provided. Thirteen parents of eight children with cancer were interviewed. The recorded interviews followed two basic questions asked of the interviewed so that the subjects' discourses could be evaluated. Data analysis was based on the stages suggested by Josgrilberg and the interviewed people were codified by the names of precious stones for anonymity. Current investigation was approved by the Committee for Ethics in Research of the State University of Maringá, n. 714/2011. Two articles were published on the analysis of the results. The first, "Living as the parents of children with cancer: phenomenological approach", gave rise to three ontological themes: Experiencing the presence and absence of a beloved person; Sharing the existential unhappiness of the child; Learning through the ill child. The second article, "The treatment of cancer in children and adolescents: revealing parents' experience" gave rise to the following themes: Experiencing the fact of having a dear one with cancer; Fearing the possibility of threats; Sharing the lack of care of the other. The subjects' language was interpreted and revealed the painfulness of the parents when they saw their child falling ill with cancer. The revelation brought them into an existential abyss and helped them to experience unforeseen transformations in their daily lives that made them live in a world of uncertainties, fear and despair. The fear of death inevitably struck them in the face of reality that became part of their life. Nevertheless, they suffered the pain of their child through the absence of significant dear persons and the indifference of health professionals. These facts caused them solitude and insecurity. However, the same anxiety that destroyed them within the world, helped them to understand existentially their role as authentic caregivers. It is highly important that nursing professionals who are continually present in such trajectories rethink their stance in being-with-the-other. They should seek to understand, beyond the physical and biological aspects, the integral needs of the patients, underscoring care on it existential dimension. This will lighten the hard role of the parents whose child is committed to the cancer ordeal.