'My Prostate Cancer Has Affected My Family in Many Ways': Men's Perspectives about the Effect of Prostate Cancer on Family Life

摘要

Background/Purpose: A cancer diagnosis "reverberates throughout the family system" (Rolland. Cancer; 2005; 104 2584-2595), yet little is known about how prostate cancer (PCa) affects family life beyond the spousal/partner dyad. Understanding the effect of PCa on other family relationships and the family as a whole is important to developing interventions that protect or promote family resilience and ultimately, adaptation to PCa. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a family systems perspective to explore how PCa has affected diagnosed men's family life. Methods: Participants were men with localized PCa (n = 120) diagnosed within the past 5 years. Responses to a single item from a questionnaire about men's social support networks and PCa experiences were analysed. Participants were asked to describe in their own words how PCa has affected their family life and/or how their family life has affected their PCa.