Table 1 Design of the study
From: Patients’ quality of life during active cancer treatment: a qualitative study
Qualitative approach | Phenomenology |
|---|---|
Research paradigm | Constructivism |
Ethical issues | The Paris-Descartes University review board (CERES) approved the research protocol (IRB number: 20140600001072). All participants provided written informed consent. |
Sampling strategy | Purposive sampling strategy with maximum variation: - To include patients that differed with respect to cancer site and type, stage, duration of treatment and age. - To “challenge” the findings continuously by including participants who might invalidate what was previously found. |
Recruitment strategy | - Inclusion criteria were discussed with physicians of the oncology departments where recruitment was planned. - With respect with maximum variation purposive sampling strategy, physicians were asked to identify 3 to 5 suitable patients who met the inclusion criteria - Physicians mentioned the study to potential participants and gave them an information sheet about it. - Researchers met the interestesed patients ° To describe the study ° To collect social and demographic data ° To obtain their written consent. |
Participants | Inclusion criteria: - Age: 18 years or older (no upper limit) - Treatment started at least 6 months before interview - Able to communicate in French Exclusion criteria - Age: < 18 years - In the terminal phase (expected survival less than 6 months) |
Data saturation | Data saturation according to the principle of theoretical sufficiency: - When new participants were not adding anything significant to the database - When the themes obtained offered a sufficient explanatory framework in view of the data collected. - Two further individual interviews were conducted with no new themes emerging, so to ensure full data saturation. |
Data collection period | Between November 2014 and June 2015 |
Data collection methods | Individual semi-structured interviews: - To get rich and detailed personal data from each participant - Interactive conversational style - Using a list of area of experience: ° Topic 1: Story of the illness (beginning of the story) ° Topic 2: exploration of daily life during the treatment period ▪ At home ▪ In relationships ▪ At work (if maintained) ▪ In treatment - All interviews were: ° Conducted in a private room in the hospital of treatment ° Audio-recorded with participants’ permission ° Transcribed literally into verbatim. ° Anonymized |
Interviewers | Experienced qualitative researchers - A psychologist (MO) - Two psychiatrists (JS, ML) |
Duration of interviews | From 60 to 90 min. |
Data analysis | Thematic analysis: - To identify, analyze and report themes within data (a theme = a label that summarizes the essence of a number of related codes) - To identify the similarities and the differences in the participants’ narratives. - To discern recurrent patterns and to integrate new elements that emerged from the analysis - Data-driven analysis with inductive approach = coding the data without any reference to theoretical notions or researcher’s preconceptions. |
Criteria to ensure validity | Analysis conducted independently by three researchers (JS, MO, ML) - To verify that the themes identified were an exact reflection of the data. Research group monthly meetings: - To discuss the results - To be supervised by two researchers more distant from the material (ARL, LV). - After negotiation of disagreements and discrepancies within the research team during regular meetings, consensus was reached on all findings. |