• Katharina Koehler, Elif Dogan, Michael Koehler, Viktoria Heine, and Jörg Frommer.
• Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Fakultät der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg. katharina.koehler@med.ovgu.de
• Z Psychosom Med Psyc. 2011 Jan 1;57(2):141-56.

ObjectivesStudies concentrating on the temporal dependence of subjective concepts during oncological treatment are underrepresented. Subjective interpretation contexts develop in the course of illness. The study focuses on the ideal-typical gestalt of these contents.MethodsIn a follow-up study on coping, 12 patients with acute leukaemia (AL) were interviewed using a semistructured interview at the end of initial inpatient treatment. Using qualitative methodology, we inductively developed categories and assigned them to formal main categories.ResultsThe following categories were developed: causal uncertainty as burden; discrepancy between subjective and objective assessment of degree of threat; knowledge of disease: conflict between information-seeking and information-avoiding behavior; dominance of medical approach to treatment; pursuit of normality; defense of emotions; orientation to workflows on the ward; adjustment as a coping strategy; positive attitude as a resource; life between hope and fear; limited future; latent fear of death.ConclusionThemes of coping with the disease become visible. Some of these contents are tacit and latent, although of high subjective relevance to the patient. Their consideration could improve the patient-physician relationship.

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