Tonåringars erfarenheter av vänskap efter en cancerdiagnos
Introduction: For the adolescent to be diagnosed with cancer could be turbulent and life may end up in tatters. A cancer diagnose affects the adolescents' relationships with parents, friends and new acquaintances. For teens that are affected by cancer, losing peer relations are a great fear and to maintain friendship can be one of several challenges during this period.Purpose: The purpose of the study is to describe adolescents' experiences of peer relations after being diagnosed with cancer.Method: Qualitative interviews with four adolescents were conducted and collected data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis.Findings: The result shows that peer relations got affected in both positive and negative ways. This is reported in three categories; ?Losing friends?, ?Friends matter? and ?Changed friendship?. The first category ?Losing friends? describes as time passed some friends ended the friendship with the adolescent. The second category ?Friends matter? describes how friends matter both emotional and practical when something unexpected and life determine happens. In the third category ?Changed friendship? it is described how the peer relations changed after the cancer diagnose. Some friends came closer and the adolescent got an increased understanding of friends? importance. In some cases the adolescent chose to avoid contact with friends.Discussion: The result of the study can conduct an increased understanding for adolescents? experiences of peer relations after being diagnosed with cancer. This could help the pediatric nurse when supporting adolescents with cancer in conducting peer relations during hospitalization. By maintaining peer relations the adolescent can get a sense of coherence and friends can support the adolescent through the difficult time. Support from friends can give the adolescent a sense of meaningfulness and therefore health.