How do I tell the children? Women's experiences of sharing information about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment

Objectives: When mothers are diagnosed with breast cancer, one of their main concerns has been found to be communicating with their children. Parents find breaking the news about their diagnosis to their children a difficult and stressful task. While it is a challenge, it is an important strategy in helping the children cope with the parent's illness as good communication about a cancer diagnosis is known to facilitate adjustment. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experiences of mothers in telling their children of their diagnosis. When and how they approached the subject of cancer and its treatment was explored. Emphasis was placed on what influences their decision of what to tell their children. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had recently had a diagnosis of breast cancer and had completed adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy at least 6 months prior to the interview. The sample included 10 women who had children (2-24) living at home at the time of diagnosis. Results: A thematic analysis was conducted on the interviews in order to derive major themes within the mothers' experiences. A description of the process used by women to tell their children about their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment was then developed. Conclusions: Specific factors guide women in their use of strategies to tell their children of their breast cancer diagnosis. These results will enable health professionals to develop guidelines and expert practice to support women through advice, reassurance and opportunity for discussion. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.