Lynne M. Robinson

Feeling Poor: The Felt Experience Low-Income Lone Mothers

This article describes what it means to feel poor from the perspective of low-income lone mothers. The construct of feeling poor is complex and multifaceted for these mothers, whose common behaviors include self-sacrifice and coping. The authors identify 10 feeling domains for these mothers: feeling deprived, righteous, the need for occupational choice, relatively better positioned than others, the need to manage the appearance of poverty, judged/degraded, guilty, isolated, dependent, and despondent.

Do current cancer follow-up care practices meet the needs of young adult cancer survivors in Canada? A qualitative inquiry

PURPOSE The purpose of the present study was to assess whether current cancer follow-up care practices meet the needs of young adult cancer survivors in Canada. METHODS This qualitative study used a constructivist grounded theory framework to analyze telephone interviews with cancer survivors from across Canada diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 39 years. The focus was specifically on cancer follow-up care (cfc). RESULTS Interviews were conducted with 55 participants, and 53 interviews were used for the analysis. The overall theme that emerged from the data was the lack of age-specific cfc. Some of the subthemes that emerged were the absence or inadequacy of fertility and infertility treatment options; of psychological services such as family, couples, and sexuality counseling; of social supports such as assistance with entry or re-entry into the education system or workplace; of access to supplemental health insurance; and of survivorship care plans. Based on the data resulting from the interviews, we developed a conceptual model of young-adult cfc incorporating the major themes and subthemes that emerged from our study. The proposed model aims to ensure a more age-appropriate and comprehensive approach to cfc for this group of cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS Current Canadian cfc practices are inadequate and do not provide comprehensive care for young adult cancer survivors in Canada. The conceptual model presented here aims to ensure a more comprehensive approach to cfc that meets the needs of this unique cancer population and reduces further possible physical, psychological, or social cancer sequelae.

Adolescent help-seeking for psychological distress, depression, and anxiety using an Internet program

This study explored what adolescents want in an Internet-based self-help program (IBSHP) for psychological distress, in order to encourage them to use the IBSHP to help themselves. Thirteen adolescents (aged 15–18) participated in the Feeling Better program and then completed a 1-h telephone interview, answering questions based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Thematic analysis was used to identify three themes in the interviews. ‘Effectiveness’ represented the usefulness of the IBSHP components and the role of credibility. ‘Privacy allows control over disclosure’ described the IBSHPs provision of a private space in which to seek help. ‘Capacity to seek help’ described the convenience and accessibility of having an online program and the importance of motivation and awareness of the program. These themes reflect the TPB: ‘Effectiveness’ reflecting ‘Attitudes’, ‘Privacy allows control over disclosure’ reflecting ‘Subjective Norms’ and ‘Capacity to seek help’ reflecting ‘Perceived Behavioral Control’.

Young Adult Cancer Survivors and the Challenges of Intimacy

The purpose of this study was to explore intimate relationships after a cancer diagnosis, applying constructivist grounded theory to interviews with 55 Canadian young adult cancer survivors. The core category found was the dynamic interplay between participants’ experiences of cancer and their intimate relationships. The authors found four themes within this core category: the mental experience of cancer, challenged sexual intimacy, the relationship response to strain (supportive or nonsupportive), and adapted intimacy. This research demonstrates the importance of intimate relationships for young adults along their cancer trajectory, revealing that those relationships are severely strained by a cancer diagnosis and treatment yet help to limit negative consequences.

Female Urinary Incontinence Health Education on the Internet: Pitfalls and Opportunities

The prevalence and demographics of urinary incontinence (UI) in Canada demand new initiatives to provide both health education and care to the growing number of incontinent women. The Internet, and the Web sites on it, offer an opportunity to provide information on female UI health to patients, health-care professionals, and other caregivers in a time and location convenient to them. Internet usage in Canada is increasing, and women are more likely than men to access Web health information. However, problems such as access to reliable health information do exist, as the quality of Web sites and the information on them varies from excellent to poor. Potential quality control mechanisms include codes of conduct, quality labels, user guides, and filtering systems, but there is uncertainty about which method is best. As the Internet precipitates a shift in care toward prevention of disease, and enhancement of health, a new role for health professionals emerges: to educate patients about and guide them to wise use of the Internet.