Metaphors in blogs posted by Chinese lung cancer survivors

Metaphors play a crucial part in human cognition and significantly enhance doctor-patient communication. However, metaphor uses of Chinese lung cancer survivors are still understudied. The aim of the study was to examine how Chinese lung cancer survivors employed metaphors to describe their illness experiences using the method of inductive content analysis. The data analyzed in this study were derived from 15 blogs written by lung cancer survivors and posted on the social media site Xiaohongshu, totaling 204,395 characters. Through the analysis, 1762 metaphor phrases were identified. Five themes emerged: journey metaphor, violence metaphor, burden metaphor, building metaphor, and imprisonment metaphor. The identified metaphors enabled lung cancer survivors to emphasize different aspects of their illness experiences. Consequently, it is imperative for healthcare professionals to pay close attention to the metaphors employed by patients, as they have the potential to shape their understanding of the illness. By recognizing and engaging with these metaphors, healthcare professionals can gain deeper insights into the unique perspectives of Chinese lung cancer survivors, thus facilitating more effective communication and empathetic care.