title: Coping with breast cancer survivorship in Chinese women: the role of fatalism or fatalistic voluntarism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The existing knowledge on fatalism in the field of cancer has arisen largely from the cancer prevention and screening literature. Little is known about the role of fatalism in cancer survivorship, particularly within Chinese population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore the role of fatalism in coping with breast cancer survivorship in Chinese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews were conducted on 29 participants selected from those who attended a local cancer self-help organization in China. Interview transcripts were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although they actively engaged in emotional regulation and self-care management to cope with survivorship, participants believed in fatalism and accepted their inability to change the final outcome of cancer. Such contradictory behavioral and cognitive aspects of coping reported by participants highlighted the role of a complex belief system involving Ming in positively influencing the interpretation of fatalism and the actual coping efforts taken.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that fatalism related to coping in the Chinese context combined 2 elements: fatalistic belief in and acceptance of the way things are as well as the exertion of personal efforts over the situation. As such, it seems more effectively depicted in terms of the emerging concept "fatalistic voluntarism."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When planning intervention for Chinese population, incorporating fatalistic voluntarism as a cognitive belief system in the process of adaptation to survivorship may be more culturally relevant for facilitating their coping behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, Chinese University of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. eileencheng@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Huilin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Janet W H
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sit
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Twinn
authors.forename: Karis K F
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thorne
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology