Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Department of Business Management, Head of Department of Business Management, Faculty of management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of media Management, Faculty of management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 University of applied sciences and technology, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, Shiraz Geriatric Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer is one of the diseases that its prevention and treatment affects the integrity of individuals. Most people get frustrated when they find out they have been diognised with cancer. Part of this emotion is related to the mysterious nature of cancer, and partly due to the lack of knowledge about how to deal with it. The aim of this study is to investigate the structural and social factors affecting the tendency of cancer patients to social networks.
Materials and Methods: Eighteen cancer patients that used Instagram were interviewed thoroughly. Data were concurrently analyzed, using the grounded theory.
This qualitative study was conducted in the 1397- 1396 period, during which 18 cancer patients using Instagram were selected by snowball sampling method.
Findings: According to an analysis of the data from the interview, factors such as depression, cancer taboo and lack of social and psychosocial support emerged, all of which influenced the tendency of patients to use Instagram.
Conclusion: According to the statements of cancer patients using the Instagram, these patients were living in a depressing atmosphere due to the boredom from their illness. Intervening factors, such as taboo of cancer in the community, led the cancer patients to the Instagram. According to the findings of this study, it seems that providing facilities and facilitating communication through cyberspace reduce patients’ tensions and increases their survival rate.
Keywords
- Winman, J. Health Psychology. Journal of Philosophy and Theology. 2004; 9 (34-33): 109-129.
- Ganz PA, Coscarelli A, Fred C, Kahn B, Polinsky ML, Petersen L. Breast cancer survivors: psychosocial concerns and quality of life. Breast cancer research and treatment. 1996; 38(2):183-99.
- Zamanzadeh V, Rahmani A, Valizadeh L, Ferguson C, Hassankhani H, Nikanfar AR, Howard F. The taboo of cancer: the experiences of cancer disclosure by Iranian patients, their family members and physicians. Psycho‐Oncology. 2013 Feb 1;22(2):396-402.
- Grabsch B, Clarke DM, Love A, Mckenzie DP, Snyder RD, Bloch S, Smith G, Kissane DW. Psychological morbidity and quality of life in women with advanced breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey. Palliative & supportive care. 2006; 4(1):47-56.
- Leedham B, Ganz PA. Psychosocial concerns and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Cancer investigation. 1999; 17(5):342-8.
- Moghimian M, Salmani F. The Study of Correlation between Spiritual well-being and Hope in Cancer Patients Referring to Seyyedo Shohada Training-Therapy Center of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 2010, Isfahan, Iran. Qom Univ Med Sci J. 2012; 6 (3): 40-45. [In Persian]
- Berterö CM. Types and sources of social support for people afflicted with cancer. Nursing & Health Sciences. 2000; 2(2):93-101.
- Glanz K, Rimer BK, Viswanath K, editors. Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice. John Wiley & Sons; 2008.
- Atkins L. Half the battle: Social support among women with cancer. Qualitative Inquiry. 2016; 22(4):253-62.
- Habibi L, Farpour HR, Pirzad R. How Does Social Media Affect Health Communication?. International Journal of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. 2017; 6(4):74-9.
- Azkia M, Jajarmi H. Applied research methodologies. Keyhan publisher: 2010.
- Ranjbar H , Haghdoost A , Salsali M , Khoshdel A, Soleimani M , Bahrami N. Sampling in qualitative research: A Guide for beginning. Annals of Military and Health Sciences Research, 2012 ; 10(3): 238-50
- Abbaszadeh M. Validity and reliability in qualitative researches. Journal of Applied Sociology the University of Isfahan. 2012; 23(1): 19-34
- Pasquini M, Biondi M. Depression in cancer patients: a critical review. Clinical Practice and epidemiology in mental health. 2007; 3(1):2.
- Khan S, Khan NA, Rehman AU, Khan I, Samo KA, Memon AS. Levels of Depression and Anxiety Post-Mastectomy in Breast Cancer Patients at a Public Sector Hospital in Karachi. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP. 2016; 17(3):1337-40.
- Farpour HR, Habibi L, Owji SH. Positive Impact of Social Media Use on Depression in Cancer Patients. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP. 2017; 18(11):2985-8.
- Beaudoin CE, Tao CC. Benefiting from social capital in online support groups: An empirical study of cancer patients. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 2007; 10(4):587-90.
- Hّybye MT, Dalton SO, Christensen J, Ross L, Kuhn KG, Johansen C. Social and psychological determinants of participation in internet-based cancer support groups. Supportive care in cancer. 2010; 18(5):553-60.
- Montazeri A, Sajadian A. Do women read poster displays on breast cancer in waiting rooms?. Journal of Public Health. 2004 Dec 1;26(4):355-8.
- Soloway CT, Soloway MS, Kim SS, Kava BR. Sexual, psychological and dyadic qualities of the prostate cancer ‘couple’. BJU international. 2005 Apr 1;95(6):780-5.
- Hordern A, Street A. Issues of intimacy and sexuality in the face of cancer: the patient perspective. Cancer nursing. 2007 Nov 1;30(6):E11-8.
- Gray RE, Fitch M, Phillips C, Labrecque M, Fergus K. To tell or not to tell: patterns of disclosure among men with prostate cancer. Psycho‐Oncology. 2000 Jul 1;9(4):273-82.
- Househ M, Borycki E, Kushniruk A. Empowering patients through social media: the benefits and challenges. Health informatics journal. 2014 Mar;20(1):50-8
- Sugawara Y, Narimatsu H, Hozawa A, Shao L, Otani K, Fukao A. Cancer patients on Twitter: a novel patient community on social media. BMC Research Notes. 2012 Dec 27;5(1):699
- Skeels MM, Unruh KT, Powell C, Pratt W. Catalyzing social support for breast cancer patients. InProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2010 Apr 10 (pp. 173-182). ACM.
- Aghazade H, Habibi L, Arabtani TR, Sarani EM, Farpour HR. Functions of Social Networks in a Community of Cancer Patients: The Case of Instagram. International Journal of Networks and Communications. 2017;7(4):71-8.
)