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Qualitative
Parents' perceptions of obtaining a diagnosis of childhood cancer can include experiences of disputes and delays

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.5.1.28

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    Dixon-Woods M, Findlay M, Young B, et al.Parents' accounts of obtaining a diagnosis of childhood cancer.Lancet2001 Mar 3;357:670–4OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    QUESTION: What are parents' experiences of obtaining a diagnosis of cancer in their children?

    Design

    Semistructured interviews.

    Setting

    Leicester, UK.

    Participants

    Parents of 20 children (age range 4–18 y) diagnosed with leukaemia, malignant solid tumour, or brain tumour, and who received treatment within the previous 4 months at a paediatric oncology unit. 4 families were of South Asian origin and the remaining families were white.

    Methods

    Semistructured interviews with one or both parents were held in their homes over a 7 month period. Interviews were open ended, but the interviewer used a prompt guide. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using the constant comparison method assisted by NUD*IST software. Theoretical saturation was reached by the 14th interview. Medical records were also analysed.

    Main findings

    Parents were first alerted to their child's illness by a range of medical signs and symptoms, and by behavioural and affective cues. Parents …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: no external funding.

    • For correspondence: Dr M Dixon-Woods, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 6TP, UK. Fax +44 (0)116 252 3272. Email: mdll{at}le.ac.uk.