Patient Experiences and the Meaning of Treatment Diaries in Long-Term Outpatient Cancer Chemotherapy : A Four-Year Phenomenological Analysis

ガイライ　ガン　カガク　リョウホウ　ヲ　ケイゾクテキ　ニ　ウケル　カンジャ　ノ　ケイケン　ト　チリョウ　ニッシ　ノ　イミ　４ネンカン　ノ　ニッシ　キロク　ノ　ゲンショウガクテキ　ブンセキ

サカイ, シオリ

Sakai, Shiori

Japanese Society for Clinical Phenomenology

がん

がん看護

日誌記録

現象学

Outpatient Chemotherapy

Cancer

Oncology Nursing

Diary Records

Phenomenology

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the experiences and meaning of patients undergoing continuous outpatient chemotherapy, particularly focusing on the phenomenon of chemotherapy diaries through phenomenological analysis. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with a single participant who maintained chemotherapy diaries for four years, sharing narratives of their chemotherapy experiences. Results: The series of actions involving daily measurement and recording of body temperature and other parameters not only facilitated consistent documentation but also allowed patients to assume the role of record-keeper without being confined to the identity of a patient. This, in turn, enabled a semblance of normalcy in their lives. Furthermore, the accumulating diary entries served as tangible reminders of successfully navigating each day, contributing to the confirmation of actively living their lives amidst ongoing treatment. The diaries played a crucial role in supporting the individual through the continuity of treatment, self-assurance, and self-preservation. Additionally, the diaries reflected the externalization of the treatment experience and peripheral involvement in the therapeutic process. Conclusion: Chemotherapy diaries proved to be more than just a tool for self-management, as their presence and the act of recording were found to sustain a meaningful life alongside ongoing treatment for an extended period.