Significant others' lived experiences following a lung cancer trajectory - From diagnosis through and after the death of a family member

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to illuminate the meanings of significant others' lived experiences of their situation from diagnosis through and after the death of a family member as a consequence of inoperable lung cancer. Methods: The data was collected through narrative interviews from eleven significant others and interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Keyresults: Four themes emerged: being unbalanced, being transitional, being cared for, and moving forward. Conclusion: The significant others' experiences can be viewed as a transition process, beginning with a sense of dislocation in life and continuing through struggling, enduring and conquering the consequences of the altered life situation until finally approaching a point characterized by a sense of stability. Different strategies of adjustment and adaptation to the new living conditions are considered. Furthermore, the results indicate the need to develop a framework for family-centered health care in order to enhance the wellbeing for the significant others both in the anticipatory grief phase and during the bereavement phase. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.