Experience of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Covid-19 pandemic conditions

ABSTRACT

Background: In breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, there is a response of fear, anxiety, and a feeling of not accepting their condition. Objectives: to determine the experience of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Methodology: This is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Furthermore, data were collected by in-depth interview conducted from July to August 2020. Furthermore, the analytical method used was the Colaizi analysis. Setting/participants: at the Sultan Agung Hospital Semarang, Indonesia. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the data were obtained using in-depth interviews with PPE (personal protective equipment) level 3. The criteria were females with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy for about 6 times or more, communicative, willing to become participants, and adults over 18 years old. Results: There were 6 themes that described the phenomenon (1) The first response when diagnosed, (2) The patient's experience who finally decided on chemotherapy, (3) Patient's adaptive response, (4) Feelings during chemotherapy, (5) side effects, and (6) changes after the treatment. Conclusions: Some patients' responses when diagnosed for the first time were can and cannot accept the condition. Based on this response, the participants received family support during the treatment. Furthermore, chemotherapy causes various side effects, and after receiving the treatment process, the participants felt changes such as not feeling pain and improvement in the condition.