Breast cancer: causes of patients' distress identified by qualitative analysis

Previous investigations of the psychological consequences of having breast cancer have usually involved quantitative analysis within medical models.

This qualitative study set out to identify key events which had caused distress to women with breast cancer and to compare the frequency of these events with doctors' beliefs about their relative frequency.

The causes of distress in 26 women with breast cancer were identified by qualitative analysis of unstructured interviews. Subsequently, all hospital doctors and general practitioners in the Exeter health district were sent a list in random order of the eight events which had most commonly caused distress and were asked to rank them in order of frequency for patients with breast cancer.

The responses suggest a mismatch between the doctors' expectations and the experience of the patients.

Patients may suffer distress in areas of management doctors do not suspect are important; qualitative analysis can identify these areas.