What is the intimate experience of couples following the woman's cancer-related breast surgery?

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe and interpret the experience of couples following the woman's surgery for breast cancer, in order to gain an in depth understanding of how this mutilating surgery affects their everyday lives. Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in Australian women, and in most industrialised nations. Women in Australia have a one in fourteen lifetime risk of developing the disease. Little is known concerning what meanings this surgery brings to the intimacy experienced between partners. It is important to seek knowledge of the phenomenon of intimacy, how the couples understand it, and how breast surgery has affected it, if at all. Literature to date has focused on the psychological and physiological effects of mastectomy on women, with little attention given to the plight of partners. A phenomenological approach was chosen for the study, and a purposive sample of seven couples was selected for the interviews. Primary data was obtained from audio taped interviews and from participant observation. Data analysis followed the protocol outlined by Colaizzi (1978), and seeks to describe, interpret and extrapolate common themes and meanings from the data.

Grantor dc:publisher

Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia

Year dc:date

1997

Author dc:creator

• Amor, Lynne

• Mastectomy
• Psychological aspects
• Mammaplasty
• Breast
• Surgery
• Cancer
• Psychological aspects.
• Oncology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/919

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ro.ecu.edu.au:theses-1920