"Living with Loss": A qualitative exploration of existential fears among people with advanced lung cancer in online lung cancer support groups.

OBJECTIVES: With targeted therapies, people are surviving longer with advanced lung cancer and engaging in online lung cancer support communities. While these groups provide a sense of community, witnessing the death of peers can lead to emotional distress. This qualitative study aims to (1) explore the experience of witnessing death in online cancer support groups; (2) identify factors that contribute to the emotional struggles of witnessing the death of peers; and (3) identify strategies/options for dealing with losses in the cancer community. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of qualitative interviews exploring existential concerns with participants (n = 25) from oncogene-specific online lung cancer support groups. The principal investigator conducted study interviews between August 2018 and March 2019 where participants were asked about their cancer experiences and existential concerns. We used thematic analysis and NVIVO 11 software to examine and store the de-identified interview data. RESULTS: Participants indicated that they had often witnessed their peers die and felt the pain of the loss. Factors that played a part in their struggle with witnessing others' death included the closeness of the relationship with the person, the age of the person who died, seeing oneself in the experience of the other dying, disparities in care, and losing touch in the final stages. Participants used varied coping strategies such as celebrating the life of the individual who died, engaging in advocacy efforts, not focusing on the loss, participating in therapy, and bringing self-preserving thoughts. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Our study highlights the importance of addressing existential fears in online lung cancer support groups and incorporating conversations about death in spaces that deal with cancer.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Long COVID-19 Hospitalized Children in Vietnam.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 205 pediatric patients, including 150 post-COVID-19 patients and 55 noninfected patients. The study identified 10 common respiratory symptoms in post-COVID-19 patients, with significant differences in clinical symptoms between the 2 groups. Post-COVID-19 pediatric patients had a lower lymphocyte count and a higher rate of pneumonia diagnosis, which can persist for up to 16 weeks after discharge. The study's findings can help monitor and manage the clinical burden of post-COVID-19 symptoms in the pediatric population.