兩位食道癌男性患者失落健康的悲傷之經驗探究

Male Cancer Patients' Experiences of Loss and Grief- Examples of Two Esophageal Cancer Patients

陳虹汶(Hong-Wen Chen) ； 林賢謀(Hsien-Mor Lin) ； 李玉嬋(Yu-Chan Li)

《台灣癌症醫學雜誌》 26卷6期 (2010/12) Pp. 240-256

https://doi.org/10.6323/JoCRP.2010.26.6.3

摘要

背景：國人十大死因仍以癌症居首，癌症打擊患者的健康、威脅生命，更造成患者在職場、婚姻、家庭甚至存在意義上的失落。然而癌症衝擊在男性身上時，是否有不同於女性的悲傷反應與因應方式，包括不輕易表露軟弱與悲傷的一面，不願尋求協助，比較放任不管自己的健康，反而只擔心家人狀況。本研究目的欲探究男性癌症患者失落健康下的悲傷經驗，尤其在社會期許男性氣概的氛圍下，男性如何因應癌症，又如何掩蓋或表達其悲傷。方法：本研究採深度晤談質性研究法，訪談兩位食道癌二期男性的逐字稿作為研究文本，以內容分析法歸納出罹癌男性失落健康的悲傷反應主題。結果：發現男性患者突然罹癌的反應雖是震驚卻用最小化問題嚴重性的方式面對，以便能夠用冷靜無情緒的反應來平撫家人的焦急關切，因為男性面對癌症最牽掛的是妻小議題。事實上，男性用堅強與癌搏命奮戰，而變樣的身體、走味的失控生活…等失落及治療辛酸卻選擇由自己吞。至於男性罹癌後會更加珍視健康或以放任態度生活，則取決於治療後的生命長短。矛盾的是，男性罹癌後接受家人幫助是最大支持，但也同時挑戰男性的面子問題。結論：最後討論罹癌男性看待罹病健康及生命的問題，都不及對妻小的牽掛而表現出冷靜無所謂的態度面對癌症，不願接受幫助卻又企求家人支持，其間與男性面子問題和保護情節有所關連。

關鍵字

食道癌 ； 男性悲傷 ； 失落與悲傷 ； 抗癌態度

並列摘要

Background: The main purpose of this research is to examine the issues: How do male cancer patients cope with loss and grief related to illness? How do they face the pressure from society, which expects men to be masculine in any situation?Methods: For this qualitative study, a semi-structured interview was given to two stage II male esophageal cancer patients, and their transcripts were analyzed in depth.Results: The types of loss male cancer patients encounter include: the loss of jobs, health, body functionality, hobbies and habits such as smoking and drinking, role as provider and protector, control, dignity, family, and life. Although male cancer patients tend to face the illness calmly and bravely, they actually suffer from mental anguish deep inside. This complex emotion is accompanied by shock, fear, confusion, guilt and sadness. Male cancer patients sustain the pain and sadness alone. Their attitude toward the future is mainly influenced by the length of survival after treatment. Male cancer patients tend to fight the cancer by adopting a positive attitude instead of negative emotional impulse. They are more likely to tackle the challenge actively and practically. Families of male cancer patients are inevitably involved. Surprisingly, male cancer patients continue to console and protect, and consistently serve as the backbone of the family during the whole treatment process. While family support encouraged male cancer patients, it also impacted their dignity. The patients' role changed from that of a supporter to that of an aid seeker, which eroded their masculine pride.Conclusions: During their fight against cancer, male patients experience conflicting feelings such as loss of dignity and guardianship.

並列關鍵字

esophageal cancer ； male ； loss ； grief