Korean J Child Health Nurs.  1998 Feb;4(1):45-59.

The Meaning of Suffering to Teeanger

• Kang KA

Abstract

Suffering is a human burden that may not be truly avoidable. In order to put that view in perspective we must examine suffering in a form as isolated from self-inflicted behavior as possible. The suffering of a child is one such example. The purpose of this study is to understand the meaning of suffering in the teenager and is to analyze difference of suffering in children and adult. The subjects of this study were 6 children (12year-17year) including in-patients and out-patients of a general hospital who were diagnosed as having cancer. The data was collected from October 10,1996 to April 15, 1997. Qualitative research methods of in-depth interview and participant observation were used for data collection. Data analysis progressed according to the fieldwork phases suggested by the Hybrid Model. According to the results of the study, the meaning of suffering in the teenager can be described as follows: Suffering is an inevitable experience of all human beings. When each child experiences pain and destroying child-adult relationship, suffering in which threaten one's personal integrity is perceived differently among each child depending on their personal inner factors, one's significant others, exterior circumstances and stimuli. Suffering brings severs and unendurable distress which accompany anguish, depression, anxiety and fear. This findings provide data for new insights of suffering. When caring for teenager who experience suffering, nurse need to consider the influence of suffering. Moreover, appropriate nursing interventions aimed at relieving suffering need to be developed.

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety
Child
Data Collection
Depression
Hospitals, General
Humans
Nursing
Outpatients
Qualitative Research
Statistics as Topic
Stress, Psychological
Child Health