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Abstract
This study explored the meanings that people attribute to talking about their cancer. Framed by interpersonal and health communication scholarship on privacy management and multiple meanings, we asked cancer survivors to describe how and why they discussed their cancer with others. Interviews (focus group or one-on-one) were conducted with 40 survivors. Using a grounded theory approach, we developed a conceptual framework that describes how communication about cancer may be particularly meaningful because it is something that people feel as though they can control during a highly stressful and turbulent time. However, attempts to manage communication are challenged by constraints imposed by others, such as unfavorable and unpredictable reactions to disclosure, which ultimately place limits on survivors’ control.
Acknowledgement
The authors extend their sincere thanks to Michael Davis and Kirsten Orand for their assistance with the focus-group interviews and to the anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their constructive feedback.
Preliminary findings from this project were presented at the 2009 conference on Communication, Medicine & Ethics at the Health Communication Research Centre at the University of Cardiff. This research was conducted in collaboration with the Seton Family of Hospitals in Austin, TX, and was supported in part by a Junior Faculty Fellowship from the College of Communication at the University of Texas. The authors extend their sincere thanks to Michael Davis and Kirsten Orand for their assistance with the focus-group interviews and to the anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their constructive feedback