Abstract

VANEGAS DE AHOGADO, BLANCA CECILIA et al. Psychosocial experiences of children receiving chemotherapy for cancer. av.enferm. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.2, pp.102-112. ISSN 0121-4500.

A qualitative study was carried out in order to discover psychosocial experiences of boys and girls receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Information was collected through ludic encounters with the support of some basic questions to facilitate narrative disclosures. Three aspects stand out among findings in the study: unfavorable experiences, experiences related to self esteem and favorable experiences; the first two, in different ways, affect boys and girls' personal, family and school life, and in general, all of their environment. It is worth highlighting that, as a consequence of hair loss, they are frequently the object of mockery and rejection by school mates, which produces the most notorious effect over their self image; on the other hand, school absenteeism causes academic difficulties and feelings of sadness in these children, situations get worse when, due to treatment, they have to live far away from the city, being subject to long periods of separation, not only from their families, but also from their peers. It is concluded that most disclosures are shocking due to the contents of suffering and pain experienced by these children, which proves the urge to retake findings in order to more integrally guide nursing care and other aides so that the correct practices are carried out at home and in educational institutions.

Keywords : neoplasms; child; drug therapy; nursing.

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