Journal: Journal of health psychology
This qualitative study explored how patients with advanced-stage cancer receiving palliative care experience daily life and participation.
Using semi-structured interviews with eight patients and reflexive thematic analysis, the authors identified four key themes:
- Dependence and functional loss: Patients described increasing dependence in basic and instrumental activities of daily living and a strong sense of loss of function, which threatened autonomy and dignity.
- Altered occupational identity and restricted social participation: Illness limited engagement in prior roles (e.g., work, family, hobbies), disrupting how patients saw themselves and curtailing social participation.
- Occupational disruption and longing for the past: Participants reported grief and nostalgia for their previous lifestyles and capabilities, with disruption of routine and meaningful activities contributing to emotional distress.
- Role of support systems and care services: Family, social networks, and healthcare services played a central role, but patients highlighted unmet rehabilitation needs. They emphasized that social isolation and loss of meaningful roles were as burdensome as physical symptoms.
The study concludes that preserving occupational identity and meaningful participation is a distinct and critical need for people with advanced cancer, beyond basic functional ability. It argues for integrating patient-centered rehabilitation within palliative care to address these humanistic and psychosocial dimensions.