Women’s lived experiences of intimate partner violence progress after breast cancer: a hermeneutic phenomenological study

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a social health problem and most common type of violence against women. The present study aimed to identify women’s lived experiences of intimate partner violence progress after breast cancer. Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted using the hermeneutic phenomenological method. A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted. 11 women diagnosed with breast cancer who experienced partner violence and were referred to Tabriz Oncology Clinic in Iran for treatment and fallow up were selected using purposeful sampling method. The mean age of women was 44.3 years. Data were analyzed using Van Manen’s holistic and selective thematic analysis approach. Results: According to the data analysis, one main theme “persistent sinusoidal violence” was identified with three sub-themes: “violence wave of treatment phase”, “violence intensification wave of recovery phase”, and “periodicity of violence waves”. Conclusion: IPV continuously fluctuates in different stages of breast cancer treatment. It is necessary to screen for IPV in different phases of the disease in breast cancer women.