Representações sociais do câncer para pacientes, familiares e profissionais atuantes em uma organização da sociedade civil do Rio Grande do Sul.

Abstract

Currently, cancer is one of the most feared diseases socially, due to its association with suffering and death, which influences the understanding and confrontation with the disease. There is an increase in the incidence and mortality of neoplasms worldwide, related to population aging and changes in factors associated with the development of a tumor, making neoplasms into a public health problem. This study aimed to know the social representations about cancer from professionals, patients and family members linked to an Institution that is part of the third sector operating in Rio Grande do Sul. The work sought to understand how these representations influence cancer patients and their relatives in facing with the disease and how they are present in the care process provided by professionals. To achieve these objectives, the research involved an investigation with social workers and psychologists working on this place with focus groups and their family members registered at the Institution. The interview with the professionals involved a self-administered form and a semi-structured interview with part of the sample. Seventeen professionals responded to the questionnaire, of which six were invited to participate in the interview. After this stage, two focus groups were created with the patients and their families with the aim of discussing the topic. Four family members and three patients participated in the groups. The data were understood in the light of the Theory of Social Representations and the Central Nucleus Theory was used to understand the structure of social representations. The results showed that the notion of pain, suffering and death crosses the discourses that involve cancer, and it is related to the experience of the disease or to a previous representation about it. It was observed that professionals, like patients and family members, have some negative notions about cancer, but what is manifested most strongly are representations focused on the role of caregiver, preventing their views from interfering with care. In relation to patients and family members, representations about cancer are felt from the moment of diagnosis, interfering in coping with the disease. However, it is observed that, after the initial impact and during the course of treatment, they acquire new representations and create more adaptive strategies in relation to the illness process. In addition, it is important to overcome negative stigmas related to cancer, since they influence the way of seeing and facing the illness and can represent a better quality of life for those who experience the diagnosis.