Prostate cancer: friend or enemy. Part one, the son

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the daily life experiences of sons and daughters following the father's prostate cancer diagnosis. This paper is part one describing the sons experience of life. Research in this field to date has predominantly focused on the father's experiences in coping with the disease, and there is a lack of research on the adult children's experiences following the father's cancer diagnosis. The study assumes a phenomenological–hermeneutic approach, using Ricoeur's theories of narratives and text interpretation. The informants were six sons of men diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer. All participants were interviewed 3 and 10 months after the father was informed of the cancer diagnosis. Data analysis was done in three stages according to Ricoeur: naïve reading, followed by a structured analysis, and concluded with critical interpretation and discussion. Results showed in the experience of worry and dilemma after the father's diagnosis, the son gradually adapted to the new life situation. The adaptation was conscious/unconscious and could be characterized as a personal transition. It is concluded that nurses need to include the son more in the care for the parents.