Introduction: Most data related to cutaneous melanoma survivors' health behaviour comes from epidemiological studies and is predominantly concerned with safe-sun behaviour and self-examination. Data regarding other changes of health behaviour are scarce and so are qualitative studies in this realm. The aim of our research is to acquire insight into the experiences of patients with cutaneous melanoma in Slovenia. How did they react to the diagnosis, which changes did they introduce in their health behaviour and how do they assess the role of family doctors?
Methods: Using the qualitative approach of collective case reports, a demographically diverse group of patients with different forms and stages of cutaneous melanoma was selected. Semi-structured interviews conducted by a psychologist were recorded and transcribed verbatim. For data processing, the approach of Qualitative Content Analysis was applied.
Results: We integrated interviewees' experiences after the diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma in several subcategories: either they did not introduce any changes or they mentioned changing their habits when exposed to the sun and performing skin self-examination; they also emphasized their ways of dealing with stress and raising awareness about melanoma among family members and friends. The role of family doctors in the prevention and care appears unclear; even contradictory.
Conclusion: We obtained insight into the experiences of Slovenian patients with cutaneous melanoma. The interviewees prioritised safe behaviour in the sun, strengthening of psychological stability and raising awareness about melanoma. Findings will be used in the creation of a structured questionnaire for national epidemiological survey.
Uvod: Večina podatkov, povezanih z zdravstvenim vedenjem bolnikov z melanomom kože, je pridobljena z epidemiološkimi raziskavami. Raziskave se pretežno ukvarjajo z varnim obnašanjem na soncu in samopregledovanjem kože. Bistveno manj poznamo druge spremembe v zdravstvenem vedenju teh bolnikov, prav tako je – tudi v tuji literaturi – le malo kvalitativnih raziskav na to temo. Namen raziskave je pridobiti vpogled v izkušnje bolnikov v Sloveniji po diagnozi melanoma kože; kako so se odzvali na bolezen, kakšne spremembe so vpeljali v svoje (zdravstveno) vedenje in kako vidijo vlogo osebnih zdravnikov.
Metode: Glede na namen raziskave je bil uporabljen pristop študije skupine primerov (angl. collective case report). Psihologinja je opravila poglobljene intervjuje z bolniki obeh spolov, različnih starosti, različne izobrazbe in z različnimi oblikami melanoma kože. Za obdelavo podatkov je bil uporabljen pristop kvalitativne analize vsebine.
Rezultati: Izkušnje in odzive bolnikov ob diagnozi melanoma kože smo strnili v več podkategorij: bodisi intervjuvanci sploh niso uvedli sprememb ali pa omenjajo spremembe pri zaščiti pred soncem in samopregledovanju kože; izpostavljajo tudi odziv na stres in osveščanje soljudi glede melanoma. Glede spreminjanja navad pri zaščiti pred soncem poleg uporabe zaščitnih pripravkov izpostavljajo predvsem fizikalno zaščito in pazljivost glede ur v dnevu, ko se izpostavijo soncu. Samoopazovanje kože so le redko omenili spontano, po usmerjenem podvprašanju pa so vsi zatrdili, da ga izvajajo. Stres ob diagnozi premagujejo predvsem s krepitvijo čustvene stabilnosti in povečanjem telesne aktivnosti. Velik del intervjuvancev je ljudi okoli sebe pričel osveščati glede melanoma kože, tveganih vedenj in možnosti preventive. Vloga zdravnikov družinske medicine je nejasna, mestoma celo kontradiktorna.
Zaključek: Pridobljen je pričakovani vpogled v izkušnje slovenskih bolnikov z melanomom kože. Intervjuvanci so izpostavili varno obnašanje na soncu, krepitev čustvene stabilnosti in ozaveščanje bližnjih glede melanoma. Izsledki bodo uporabljeni pri oblikovanju strukturiranega vprašalnika za epidemiološko raziskavo, ki bo ovrednotila spremembe v zdravstvenem vedenju bolnikov z melanomom kože in iskala dejavnike, ki ključno vplivajo nanje.
Keywords: coping with stress; cutaneous melanoma; experiences; health behaviour; qualitative research.