title: Blogging through cancer: young women's persistent problems shared online.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many young women have turned to illness blogs to describe their lived experience with cancer. Blogs represent an untapped source of knowledge for researchers and clinicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study was to describe the life disruptions caused by cancer among young women, as well as to understand the facilitators and barriers in accessing healthcare services during and after active treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen Internet illness blogs were analyzed among women, aged between 20 and 39 years, diagnosed with cancer. These blogs were analyzed based on phenomenological qualitative methods and thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 4 dimensions of persistent problems that were articulated in the narratives of the young women without any relief. They included pain and fatigue, insurance and financial barriers, concerns related to fertility, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress and anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The young women's narratives capture fear, uncertainty, anger, and the debilitating nature of these persistent issues. Many of the women expressed their lingering physical, psychosocial, and emotional problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online illness narratives are a naturalistic form of inquiry that allows nurses to understand the experience of the patient through their own words and accounts. This study provides a foundation for nursing-based interventions that transcend traditional clinic experiences.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. jlk2t@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keim-Malpass
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baernholdt
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ropka
authors.forename: Anneke T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Schroen
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Steeves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000451:nursing; D057218:Blogging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005376:Financial Management; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing; D014768:Virginia