Blaming in women with breast cancer subjected to intimate partner violence: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

Abstract

ObjectiveThe present study was conducted to determine the blaming experiences of women with breast cancer subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV). MethodsThis hermeneutic phenomenological study explored blaming experiences of women with breast cancer subjected to IPV. Nine women with a mean age of 47.5 years referred to oncology hospitals in Tabriz (Iran) were interviewed using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data analysis was performed based on Van Manen's thematic analysis method. ResultsThe main theme emerged from the data is “blaming as a shifting cognitive judgment” with three subthemes of patient blaming partner, partner blaming patient, and self-blame. ConclusionsThe findings of the present study revealed that cognitive judgment shifting could be emerged as different types of blaming in the patients with breast cancer exposed to IPV. It is suggested that oncology nurses heed the psychological needs of women with breast cancer through holistic nursing considering couple and family-centered care.