A qualitative study to explore the experience of fatigue in cancer patients

Fatigue - which is a complex, multicausal, and multidimensional subjective experience - is today the most frequently reported symptom from patients wi th cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of fatigue i n cancer patients and to describe the categories and dimensions of the symp toms. A qualitative method - grounded theory - was used. Unstructured, tape -recorded interviews with 15 cancer patients were used for data collection. The categories found in this study illustrate fatigue as a process. Three major categories were found: (1) experiences (of loss, need, malaise, psych ological stress, emotional affection, abnormal weakness, difficulties in ta king the initiative); (2) consequences (social limitation, affected self-es teem, affected quality of Life); and (3) actions (coping). The categories w ere constructed on the basis of dimensions with subordinated qualities. Kno wledge concerning the different expressions of fatigue is important in cari ng for patients with cancer. The results from this study may contribute to a better understanding of how a cancer patient can experience and express f atigue and how the symptoms may affect the patient.