Themes from a Longitudinal Study of Family Reaction to Childhood Cancer

Thirty-three predominantly white, rural, Midwestern families with a child diagnosed as havin cancer were followed in a t longitudinal study. After five years, 1 of the children were still alive and 17 had died. Fifteen themes emerged from an analysis of the data derived from interviews with the parents during the fiveear period after their child's diagnosis. These themes ranged from icing unprepared for the cancer diagnosis and the need to normalize family life as quickly as possible to fear that the cancer would recur and fear that a sibling would develop the disease. The authors also discuss nursing interventions suggested by the themes that should be helpful to families who have a child diagnosed with cancer.