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Engaging in Palliative Care Conversations With Healthcare Providers: A Phenomenological Young Adult Cancer Study
Emily K Drake1, Lori E Weeks1,2, Dani Taylor3,4
1Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Qualitative Health Research
|March 28, 2025
Summary
Palliative care conversations offer young adults with advanced cancer an opening to discuss needs and find relief. These discussions provide essential support and allow for personal reflections on life and death.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Palliative Care
- Psycho-oncology
Background:
- Young adults with metastatic/advanced cancers often lack introduction to palliative care.
- Healthcare providers may incorrectly assume young adults are adequately supported or that palliative care discussions diminish hope.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of young adults with advanced cancer during conversations about palliative care.
- To understand how these conversations serve as an opening for support and reflection.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving interviews with young adults living with metastatic/advanced cancers.
- Phenomenological approach to analyze the subjective experiences of these conversations.
Main Results:
- Conversations about palliative care were experienced as an opening for dialogue, a source of need fulfillment and relief, and an opportunity for reflection.
- Discussions facilitated exploration of meaningful aspects of life and addressed physical, relational, and existential needs.
- These conversations provided a space for personal reflection and open discussion about dying and death.
Conclusions:
- Palliative care conversations offer young adults a vital space for support, addressing multifaceted needs, and engaging in profound personal reflection.
- Healthcare providers can gain reflective insights and practical strategies for approaching these sensitive discussions with young patients.
- Recognizing the deeply personal and individual nature of these conversations is crucial for effective palliative care delivery.
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