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. 2014 Feb 13:9:22810.
doi: 10.3402/qhw.v9.22810. eCollection 2014.

Lived experiences and challenges of older surgical patients during hospitalization for cancer: an ethnographic fieldwork

Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt  1 , Mette Terp Høybye  2
Affiliations

Lived experiences and challenges of older surgical patients during hospitalization for cancer: an ethnographic fieldwork

Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. .

Abstract

This paper explores the lived experiences of older surgical patients' (aged 74 years and older) experienced challenges during a brief admission to hospital. Age, gender, polypharmacy, and the severity of illness are also factors known to affect the hospitalization process. For an ethnographic study using participant observation and interviews, surgical cancer patients (n = 9, aged 74 years and older) were recruited during admission to a Danish teaching hospital. Using ethnographic strategies of participant observation and interviews, each patient was followed through the course of 1 day during their stay at the hospital. Interviews were carried out with all patients during this time. Three areas of concern were identified as prominent in the patients' experiences and challenges during their short hospital stay: teeth and oral cavity, eating in a hospital setting, and medication during hospitalization. Short-term hospitalization requires focused collaboration between staff and patient concerning individual challenges from their teeth and oral cavity as support of nutritional needs during surgical treatment for cancer.

Keywords: Lived experiences; caring; colon cancer; ethnography; nutrition; older patients; oral health; well-being.

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