Cancer Experience in Metaphors: A Scoping Review
Author Information
Author(s): Yufeng Liu, Elena Semino, Judith Rietjens, Sheila Payne, Amara Callistus Nwosu, Anne Kuld, Anne M Stiggelbout, Barbara Perić, Bettina Mølri Knudsen, Canan Akoglu, Carlos Romero Piqueras, Elham Hedayati, Ellen Kapiteijn, Erik van Mulligen, Ewout Steyerberg, Gaby Sroczynski, Ida Korfage, Jorge Sierra-Pérez, Kasper Frank Rudebeck, Kees Verhoef, Lára R Hallsson, Laura Hartman, Lea Doppelbauer, Lionne D F Venderbos, Lucía Pitarch, Maartje Schermer, Marieke Bak, Marleen Kunneman, Mette Byg Josefsen, Paul Rayson, Roberto Pazo-Cid, Suzan Verberne, Teresa Puértolas, Toby Hackmann, Uwe Siebert, Yassin Engelberts
Hypothesis
What metaphors are used by different populations for different aspects of the cancer experience?
Conclusion
Metaphors help to identify how patients describe experiences of vulnerability and empowerment in relation to cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Metaphors are used by patients, carers, and health professionals to communicate about cancer experiences.
- Violence and journey metaphors are the most commonly used across different populations.
- Different populations use metaphors to express their perspectives on various aspects of the cancer experience.
- Metaphors can influence how patients perceive their illness and their relationships with healthcare providers.
- Future research should explore metaphor use in languages other than English.
Takeaway
This study looks at how people talk about cancer using metaphors, showing that different groups use different words to describe their experiences.
Methodology
A scoping review of peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023, analyzing metaphor use in cancer communication.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the focus on English-language studies and limited cancer types.
Limitations
The review did not systematically evaluate the quality of each study or consider demographic variations in metaphor use.
Participant Demographics
Included patients with cancer, health professionals, carers, and nursing students, primarily from English-speaking backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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