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Defining Moments, Revisited
1School of Communication, San Diego State University.
Health Communication
|February 25, 2020
Summary
Storytelling shapes significant life events, especially during cancer. Patients and providers redefine health priorities, shifting focus to well-being and public good through shared experiences.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Medical Humanities
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- 'Defining moments' are significant life events that shape individual and collective experiences.
- Storytelling is a key mechanism through which these moments are constructed, shared, and understood.
- Cancer profoundly impacts individuals and their social networks, often necessitating a redefinition of 'health' and well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how storytelling constructs and conveys 'defining moments' in everyday life.
- To examine the redefinition of health and well-being within the context of cancer narratives.
- To illustrate the translation of research on patient-oncologist interactions for public benefit.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of personal stories and narrative reconstructions.
- Qualitative investigation of patient-oncologist interactions and family cancer experiences.
- Application of Erving Goffman's sociological concepts to narrative analysis.
Main Results:
- 'Defining moments' emerge through participants' methods of drawing attention to significant events via storytelling.
- Cancer narratives reveal a shift in priorities from self-promotion to optimizing holistic well-being.
- Research on cancer experiences can be translated to advance the public good through enhanced reflexivity.
Conclusions:
- Storytelling is central to understanding and navigating 'defining moments,' particularly in the context of serious illness.
- The experience of cancer prompts a reevaluation of health, emphasizing comprehensive well-being.
- Translating research findings on personal narratives can foster public understanding and benefit.
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