Hermeneutic Circle Focusing Lived Experience of Breast Cancer Survivorship-A Phenomenological Approach

Context: It was identified that there was only sparse disseminated research findings exist on woman and mental health in India. Privation in the literature survey including open access journal, wireless ad hoc network and grey literature on lived experience of breast cancer survivorship in India initiated the researcher to conduct the study based on social strain.

Methods: By undertaking hermeneutic phenomenological lived human relation qualitative research approach, a woman with stage II breast cancer and the family members were interviewed transcribed with focus on social strain based on three themes such as quantity and quality of relationships, involvement in groups and maintaining relationships and Nvivo 2.0 qualitative software was used for coding the data. Data analysis was done based on Van Manen's thematic analytic approach.

Findings: The lived experience identified was much serious on hearing the participant's narratives. This is considered existential and devastating challenge for the family members of a woman with breast cancer. This research work has authenticity and invites a vicarious lived experience of a breast cancer woman and the family members. Further extensive parallel positivist criteria on credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability of the data may be required.

Originality/ Value: This manuscript paper is an original research article which describes the lived experience of a breast cancer woman and the family members on social strain perspective which reflects the relationship within the family context and environment. This research work would bridge the research gap and build evidence based practice by passing bricoleur task, dyadic interview, category scheme followed by coding, computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS), incubation analysis and scrutiny to validate interpretation of results.

Research implications: Anticipated generalizations explicitly support evidence. This research work can be effectively utilized by the emerging researchers and can be a baseline for further studies to build upon.

Practicality implications: This paper can be replicated and other components of lived experience can be eked. Focus group interviews can be conducted practically for the homogeneity. Thematic analyses were carried out promptly to validate results and further essential themes could be discovered.