Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer
Purpose: This study aims to explore how agency is constructed in everyday life with cancer in relation to daily activities and habits. Agency is approached as a key element of daily life existence, and it is constructed in terms of “acting in the world”, self-behaviour, changing routines, identity e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1690391 |
| _version_ | 1827366286698479616 |
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| author | Suvi Holmberg |
| author_facet | Suvi Holmberg |
| author_sort | Suvi Holmberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: This study aims to explore how agency is constructed in everyday life with cancer in relation to daily activities and habits. Agency is approached as a key element of daily life existence, and it is constructed in terms of “acting in the world”, self-behaviour, changing routines, identity expectations and life course. Methods: The study is based on a social constructionist approach and the data of 32 participants were gathered through a public call for narratives on “everyday life with breast and prostate cancer” in Finland in 2009. The analysis was conducted by utilizing a discursive research approach and coding. Results: Three categories of agency were identified: stable—where agency continues fluently after cancer; fragile—where the ability to take care of daily activities has deteriorated; and recreated—where living with cancer adapts or creates a new basis for daily living. Conclusions: The findings of the study suggest that everyday life activities and habits define and (de)construct agency, and that these constructions are tightly linked to the ill person’s overall life situation, physical abilities and cultural context. Having cancer can create new challenges to agency in daily life but does not suppress agency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c3d7fe985f7644aa8a685e4eb001bb52 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:34Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| spelling | doaj.art-c3d7fe985f7644aa8a685e4eb001bb522024-02-01T14:39:34ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312019-01-0114110.1080/17482631.2019.16903911690391Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancerSuvi Holmberg0Tampere UniversityPurpose: This study aims to explore how agency is constructed in everyday life with cancer in relation to daily activities and habits. Agency is approached as a key element of daily life existence, and it is constructed in terms of “acting in the world”, self-behaviour, changing routines, identity expectations and life course. Methods: The study is based on a social constructionist approach and the data of 32 participants were gathered through a public call for narratives on “everyday life with breast and prostate cancer” in Finland in 2009. The analysis was conducted by utilizing a discursive research approach and coding. Results: Three categories of agency were identified: stable—where agency continues fluently after cancer; fragile—where the ability to take care of daily activities has deteriorated; and recreated—where living with cancer adapts or creates a new basis for daily living. Conclusions: The findings of the study suggest that everyday life activities and habits define and (de)construct agency, and that these constructions are tightly linked to the ill person’s overall life situation, physical abilities and cultural context. Having cancer can create new challenges to agency in daily life but does not suppress agency.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1690391agencybreast and prostate cancerdaily activities and habitseveryday life |
| spellingShingle | Suvi Holmberg Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being agency breast and prostate cancer daily activities and habits everyday life |
| title | Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| title_full | Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| title_fullStr | Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| title_short | Stable, fragile and recreated – a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| title_sort | stable fragile and recreated a qualitative study of agency in everyday life with breast and prostate cancer |
| topic | agency breast and prostate cancer daily activities and habits everyday life |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1690391 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT suviholmberg stablefragileandrecreatedaqualitativestudyofagencyineverydaylifewithbreastandprostatecancer |