Coping with melanoma-related worry: a qualitative study of the experiences and support needs of patients with...

To explore the patients' experience of having malignant melanoma, their related support needs and the processes that lead to these needs being met.

The number of patients attending surveillance clinics after a diagnosis of malignant melanoma is increasing. In the UK specialist nurses provide support to patients, but little evidence exists about the nature of patients' support needs or their experience of having melanoma. Melanoma has often been researched within general cancer studies, yet the support needs of melanoma patients may be different from those of patients with other skin cancers or tumour types.

A Grounded Theory Approach was used to guide sampling, data collection and analysis.

In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven patients who where purposively sampled. Transcripts were read several times, coded and categorised using the constant comparative method. Emergent categories were discussed with participants.

Three emergent categories related to a core category of melanoma-related worry which formed a substantive theory about the strategies patients use to control this. Participants reported needing to have their concerns believed by others prior to and after diagnosis. They discussed discerning whom to share their concerns with depending upon who they felt would not perceive assisting them as being burdensome. They also sought ways to reassure themselves.

Patients need to have their fear and worries acknowledged by others. This includes nurses, healthcare professionals and family members. Patients will also use self-examination and the absence of symptoms to reassure themselves.

Nurses play key roles throughout the patient's care; therefore they need to be sensitive to the fact that patients may consider them a primary source of support. When teaching self-examination it is important that nurses discuss that this may ease worry and aid coping.