Patients' experience of important factors in the healthcare environment in oncology care
Journal article, 2013

Background and objective. The aim of this study was to describe what factors of the healthcare environment are perceived as being important to patients in oncology care. Setting and participants. The sample was 11 patients with different cancer diagnoses in an oncology ward at a university hospital in west Sweden. Results. Analysis of the patients' perceptions of the environment indicated a complex entity comprising several aspects. These came together in a structure consisting of three main categories: safety, partnership with the staff, and physical space. The care environment is perceived as a complex entity, made up of several physical and psychosocial aspects, where the physical factors are subordinated by the psychosocial factors. It is clearly demonstrated that the patients' primary desire was a psychosocial environment where they were seen as a unique person; the patients wanted opportunities for good encounters with staff, fellow patients, and family members, supported by a good physical environment; and the patients valued highly a place to withdraw and rest. Conclusions. This study presents those attributes that are valued by cancer patients as crucial and important for the support of their well-being and functioning. The results show that physical aspects were subordinate to psychosocial factors, which emerged strongly as being the most important in a caring environment.

oncological care

physical and psychosocial factors

patient perspective

framework

space

person-centered care

Patients' experience

place

focus groups

evidence base

person-

geography

Author

M. Browall

Ingalill Koinberg

University of Gothenburg

Hanna Falk

University of Gothenburg

Helle Wijk

University of Gothenburg

International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being

1748-2623 (ISSN) 17482631 (eISSN)

Vol. 8

Subject Categories

Clinical Medicine

DOI

10.3402/qhw.v8i0.20870

More information

Created

10/10/2017