A phenomenologic study of fatigue in adolescents receiving treatment for cancer

Purpose/Objectives: To generate a detailed description of how adolescents with cancer manage their daily lives and the way in which fatigue affects this. Design: Phenomenologic. Setting: A pediatric oncology unit at a regional cancer center in the United Kingdom. Sample: A convenience sample of adolescents (N = 8), aged 16-19 years and with hematologic or solid tumors, who currently were undergoing primary treatment. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted using 11 open ended questions. Main Research Variables: Adolescents' perceptions of fatigue, well-being, and ability to maintain normal activities. Findings: Adolescents reported fatigue as overwhelming and embedded in a syndrome of symptoms and emotions associated with the illness itself and with treatment. Fatigue had a significant effect on physical, psychological, and social well-being, placing an extra burden on adolescents who were striving for normality, Conclusions: Equipped with a rich description of fatigue, clinicians will be better prepared to initiate strategies congruent with their own work settings and particular patients. Implications for Nursing: The findings should enable healthcare professionals to construct a more accurate and perceptive picture of the needs of particular individuals, highlighting those that may be amenable to intervention.