A grounded theory approach towards understanding the self perceived effects of meditation on people being treated for cancer.

Abstract

The activities undertaken by people suffering cancer and receiving oncology treatment are known to cause high levels of anxiety. In an oncology clinic in rural Australia, nurses and volunteers promoted the use of meditation to reduce the stress caused by the terminally associated illness and its treatments. The use and self-perceived effects of meditation by cancer sufferers and their partners was explored using a grounded theory approach. Data were gathered and analysed from a series of semi-structured interviews and the findings used to generate theory regarding the use of meditation within the oncology domain. A number of theories were generated by this data and they are discussed in relation to current nursing practice and future research.