Young women with breast cancer-using the healing tool; writing blogs

Purpose: This qualitative study aims to interpret and describe how young women diagnosed with a breast cancer uses blogs to manage daily life. Methods: 14 blogs written by women diagnosed with breast cancer aged between 25 and 38 years. These blogs were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were identified in the data body illustrating what the women were writing about in their blogs: Experiencing frustration, The fear is bigger than death, Preparing for physical changes, Body and mind are in disharmony. These four themes ended up in a concluding theme: The healing effect of writing a blog. Conclusion: The young women used writing blogs as a healing activity. The writing was a channel for emotions and thoughts, but was also a way of sharing experiences and supporting each other. Their narratives revealed the impact of breast cancer experiences on their personal, familial and social lives. Reading blogs is an activity that could allow healthcare professionals to better understand these women’s life situation and needs. Implications for practice: Blogs could become a useful tool for healthcare professionals, relatives, patients and the people around them. By reading blogs, not necessarily commenting on or writing them, there will be a better and deeper understanding about the effects of a cancer diagnosis. Using blogs could facilitate the provision of requested and needed health care activities. Correspondence to: Carina M. Berterö, PhD, Professor, Division of Nursing Science, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, E-mail: [email protected]