The overall aim of this thesis is to illuminate and describe bodily changes and problems in incurable cancer, with focus on prostate cancer, from the patient’s perspective. The thesis consists of four papers, each of which illuminates various aspects of the phenomenon studied. The study population consisted of 24 participants, three women with different cancer diagnoses in the palliative phase, and 21 men with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) and skeletal metastases. Data are based on interviews (papers I–IV) and a quality of life questionnaire (paper I). The study design is cross-sectional (papers I–III) and longitudinal (paper IV). Qualitative description, descriptive statistics, phenomenological hermeneutics, and analysis of discourse were used to analyze data. The findings of study I show that the dominating symptoms for the men with HRPC (n=20) were pain and fatigue, and three different variants of each problem were described. The men said that changes in their sex life were not an extensive problem, even if it was scored as such. The symptoms differed in occurrence, extent, and meaning between the men, and were not necessarily experienced as problems. In study II, pain and fatigue were again the most prominent problems in men with HRPC (n=18), but pain and fatigue were seen to have different meanings. Pain was seen as synonymous with cancer. Pain can be alleviated, but it is a threat, both now and in the future, and symbolizes a painful death. Fatigue was viewed as a hindrance in the present. It was experienced as less threatening than pain, but as something that cannot really be changed. Fatigue represents the natural course death will take, as eventually sleep into death. An important finding of study II is that one meaning of bodily problems is to live in a cyclical movement of losing and reclaiming wellness. Understanding, and, to some extent, being in control of, bodily problems makes it possible to experience wellness. When the bodily problems increase or change, or when new problems appear or become a hindrance in the daily life, the experience of being ill returns. The findings of study III show that one meaning of fatigue in patients with cancer in the palliative phase (n=4) is a lived bodily experience of approaching death. This can be understood through the paradox of struggling against fatigue, and hoping to overcome it, yet expecting failure. The body, through fatigue, signals to the person that death is approaching, but the person is not yet “ready”. Paper IV shows that the way two of the men with HRPC talked about the past, present, and future changed during the disease trajectory. In the first interview, the men were open towards both the past and the future, while just before death, their narration was totally dominated by the concrete experience of the illness. The past became the past in the illness and not in life, and the present was flooded with extensive bodily changes. Also, the future had shrunk, although it also had been transferred to beyond death. Pain, fatigue, nausea, and other bodily problems figured largely in this change. This thesis provides important insights into the phenomenon of bodily changes when living with incurable cancer, with focus on prostate cancer. The thesis shows the connection between bodily changes and time, where different bodily changes have different meanings, and meanings seem to change during the illness trajectory (papers I–IV); and bodily changes close to death seem to take “all” time; what is left is the present filled with problems (paper IV). Further, it shows that bodily changes have a great influence on the cyclical movement between losing and reclaiming wellness in incurable cancer (paper II). The clinical implications of the thesis are that alleviation of pain and other bodily problems must be based on the meaning the patient gives the bodily changes taking place. That is, alleviation with the purpose to free time and to facilitate living in wellness as death is approaching.

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine the comeback phase of the Trajectory of Chronic Illness Management for Appalachian women stroke survivors. This study predicted comeback as a relationship between physical healing, biographical reengagement, and psychological coming to terms that was mediated by rehabilitation. The concepts were evaluated through investigation of function and cognitive abilities, self-assessment of recovery, health rating, ability to control life, relationship changes, physical and mental health, and limitations of activities due to poor physical or mental health. Data were collected using, the Stroke Impact Scale (3.0) (Duncan, Bode, Lia, & Perera, 2003), the Relationship Change Scale (Guerney, 1971), and the Health-Related-Quality-of-Life-4 Scale (Morarity, Zack, & Kobau, 2003). Descriptive statistics summarized patient characteristics. Continuous variables were analyzed using bivariate relationships expressed as Pearson correlation coefficients. The difference between groups (stroke severity and stroke type) and measurement variables were analyzed using independent ttest and ANOVA. Multiple linear regressions were completed to evaluate simultaneous effects of the independent variables. Forty-six English-speaking, Caucasian women ages 40-78 who had experienced stroke at least 1 year prior to enrollment and were independently living in their home environment participated. The mean age was 57 years with survivorship ranging from 1 to 36 years. Function and cognition scores were similar to the established test range for the SIS V 3.0. Women with moderate ischemic stroke scored statistically higher for recovery score (p Study findings suggest comeback can be predicted by the theoretical propositions of the Trajectory Theory of Chronic Illness Management: physical healing, biographical reengagement, and psychologically coming to terms (Corbin & Strauss, 1991). A strong relationship exists among the phases representative of comeback, while rehabilitation procedures and interpersonal relationships demonstrated only modest significance.

Outre la prescription d’un traitement médicamenteux, la pratique régulière d’une Activité Physique Adaptée (APA)est recommandée aux personnes atteintes d’un diabète de type 2 (DT2), au même titre qu’un nouvel équilibre alimentaire(HAS, 2006). Cette incitation à opérer des changements concrets dans son « style de vie » rencontre des résistances, qui sontaccentuées pour les malades n’ayant pas préalablement construit de dispositions à la pratique physique. Des dispositifsinnovants ont été imaginés dans certaines organisations de santé (réseau de santé, unité transversale d’éducation) pour rendrepossible cet engagement physique et lui permettre de se développer de manière autonome dans le cadre d’« une carrière depratiquant d’APA » au sens où la définit Becker (1985). L’objectif est d’étudier ce processus d’engagement dans ses relationsavec la « trajectoire de maladie » au sens où l’entend Strauss (1985), en rendant compte des différentes étapes de saconstruction. A l’interface de la sociologie de la santé et de la sociologie du sport, l’approche mobilise ainsi des conceptsinteractionnistes. La méthodologie articule une observation de terrain avec 52 récits d’expériences de personnes atteintes demaladie(s) chronique(s) (dont 39 de DT2) qui ont évolué dans deux dispositifs d’APA différents : l’un proposant des séancesthéoriques d’information/explication (n=17), l’autre mettant en place des séances pratiques dans un cycle éducatif en APA puisune orientation vers une association sportive de patients (n=35). L’analyse des récits utilise un logiciel de traitement dedonnées textuelles (Prospéro).Trois types d’engagement ont ainsi été repérés : Le premier s’inscrit dans la « trajectoire demaladie » mais suppose un rapport au corps renouvelé après une remise en question des représentations de l’AP du patient etde ses capacités. Le second ouvre une « carrière de pratiquant d’APA » et ajoute une sociabilité de l’entre-soi, initiée par lesdispositifs « à et via » l’APA. Le troisième consolide cette « carrière » dans une pratique davantage culturelle que médicale,en l’inscrivant dans une sociabilité plus ouverte. Ces trois formes d’engagement se succèdent selon un continuum au coursduquel s’affirment simultanément une recherche croissante d’autonomie par rapport aux prescriptions médicales, une attentiongrandissante au corps et un développement du réseau relationnel. / Alongside prescription medication, it is recommended that type 2 diabetes patients (T2D) carry out regular adaptedphysical activity (APA), in the same way that they should adopt a new dietary balance (HAS 2006). This incitement to bringabout concrete changes in lifestyle comes up against opposition which is compounded where the patient does not have ahistory of regular physical exercise. Some health organizations have devised innovative arrangements such as health networks,or inter-disciplinary patient education units, to make this engagement in physical activity possible, and to enable autonomousdevelopment within the framework of an “APA practitioner career” as defined by Becker (1985). The objective here is tostudy this process of engagement in relation to the “illness trajectory” as understood by Strauss (1985), taking into account thedifferent phases of its course. This approach brings into play the concept of Interactionism at the interface of health sociologyand sport sociology. The methodology used here links fieldwork with 52 personal narratives of people affected by chronicillness (39 of whom have T2D), which have developed through two different APA action plans, the first of which offers theorysessions providing information/explanation (n=17), and the second, the setting up of practical sessions which form a series ofAPA lessons followed by guidance towards a patients’ sports association (n=35). Textual data processing software is used toanalyse the patients’ narratives (Prospéro). Three types of engagement have thus been pinpointed: the first appears in the“illness trajectory” but assumes a new relationship with the body after challenging the patient’s pre-conceived ideas about PAand about his/her own capabilities. The second opens an “APA practitioner career” in the context of socialising with otherpeople like themselves, initiated via the apparatus of APA. The third consolidates this “career” into more of a cultural thanmedical practice, by making it part of a wider group activity. These three types of engagement progress along a continuum,over the course of which the following trends result simultaneously: a growing desire to decrease dependence on medicaladvice, an increase in physical self-awareness, and the development of a network of contacts.

The course of endstage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment is complex and filled with uncertainty. Part of this illness experience includes making end-of-life (EOL) care decisions. Many families are unprepared to make such decisions. Advance care planning (ACP) creates an excellent context for laying the groundwork for these emotionally charged conversations. Hemodialysis patients, their families and healthcare providers (HCPs) are in a unique position to begin the ACP process early in the illness trajectory, revisiting it when the patient’s health status, prognosis and treatment modality changes. To date, little research has focused directly on how families experience ACP conversations in the context of ESRD or HD. The purpose of this study was to explore family members’ experiences of participating in a facilitated ACP conversation with the HD patient. This approach recognizes and privileges the family’s role in the illness trajectory of ESRD and validates that they too are HCPs’ clients. Five families, consisting of the HD patient and one family member, who went through the ACP process were interviewed along with an ACP facilitator from the nephrology program. This focused ethnographic study applied the theoretical perspective of postmodernist critical theory to derive and analyze data from in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a detailed description of the ACP process that included timing, readiness to acknowledge the potentiality of death, facing mortality, and finding meaning in the illness experience. As families started to deconstruct their experiences, they shared stories of communication breakdown, highlighting the complexities of their relationships with HCPs. Understanding the factors that potentially contribute to HD patients’, their families’ and the renal staff’s discomfort with death were analyzed. The study findings provide important direction for HCPs about how families make ACP decisions, how they perceive the ACP process, and what they identify as their EOL care needs and wishes. Failure to implement ACP as part of an EOL care program means that death will continue to be denied and clients’ EOL care needs will remain un-addressed. In order for ACP to be effective on HD units, sustainable resources are essential for patients, their families and HCPs.

The course of endstage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment is complex and filled with uncertainty. Part of this illness experience includes making end-of-life (EOL) care decisions. Many families are unprepared to make such decisions. Advance care planning (ACP) creates an excellent context for laying the groundwork for these emotionally charged conversations. Hemodialysis patients, their families and healthcare providers (HCPs) are in a unique position to begin the ACP process early in the illness trajectory, revisiting it when the patient’s health status, prognosis and treatment modality changes. To date, little research has focused directly on how families experience ACP conversations in the context of ESRD or HD. The purpose of this study was to explore family members’ experiences of participating in a facilitated ACP conversation with the HD patient. This approach recognizes and privileges the family’s role in the illness trajectory of ESRD and validates that they too are HCPs’ clients. Five families, consisting of the HD patient and one family member, who went through the ACP process were interviewed along with an ACP facilitator from the nephrology program. This focused ethnographic study applied the theoretical perspective of postmodernist critical theory to derive and analyze data from in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a detailed description of the ACP process that included timing, readiness to acknowledge the potentiality of death, facing mortality, and finding meaning in the illness experience. As families started to deconstruct their experiences, they shared stories of communication breakdown, highlighting the complexities of their relationships with HCPs. Understanding the factors that potentially contribute to HD patients’, their families’ and the renal staff’s discomfort with death were analyzed. The study findings provide important direction for HCPs about how families make ACP decisions, how they perceive the ACP process, and what they identify as their EOL care needs and wishes. Failure to implement ACP as part of an EOL care program means that death will continue to be denied and clients’ EOL care needs will remain un-addressed. In order for ACP to be effective on HD units, sustainable resources are essential for patients, their families and HCPs.

The course of endstage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment is complex and filled with uncertainty. Part of this illness experience includes making end-of-life (EOL) care decisions. Many families are unprepared to make such decisions. Advance care planning (ACP) creates an excellent context for laying the groundwork for these emotionally charged conversations. Hemodialysis patients, their families and healthcare providers (HCPs) are in a unique position to begin the ACP process early in the illness trajectory, revisiting it when the patient’s health status, prognosis and treatment modality changes. To date, little research has focused directly on how families experience ACP conversations in the context of ESRD or HD. The purpose of this study was to explore family members’ experiences of participating in a facilitated ACP conversation with the HD patient. This approach recognizes and privileges the family’s role in the illness trajectory of ESRD and validates that they too are HCPs’ clients. Five families, consisting of the HD patient and one family member, who went through the ACP process were interviewed along with an ACP facilitator from the nephrology program. This focused ethnographic study applied the theoretical perspective of postmodernist critical theory to derive and analyze data from in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a detailed description of the ACP process that included timing, readiness to acknowledge the potentiality of death, facing mortality, and finding meaning in the illness experience. As families started to deconstruct their experiences, they shared stories of communication breakdown, highlighting the complexities of their relationships with HCPs. Understanding the factors that potentially contribute to HD patients’, their families’ and the renal staff’s discomfort with death were analyzed. The study findings provide important direction for HCPs about how families make ACP decisions, how they perceive the ACP process, and what they identify as their EOL care needs and wishes. Failure to implement ACP as part of an EOL care program means that death will continue to be denied and clients’ EOL care needs will remain un-addressed. In order for ACP to be effective on HD units, sustainable resources are essential for patients, their families and HCPs. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate