TY - JOUR

T1 - Female partner experiences of prostate cancer patients’ engagement with a community-based football intervention

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Midtgaard, Julie

AU - Tjørnhøj-Thomsen, Tine

AU - Rørth, Mette

AU - Kronborg, Malene

AU - Bjerre, Eik D.

AU - Oliffe, John L.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Prostate cancer is often labelled a couple’s disease wherein the partner plays an important role in the man’s illness management and related health promotion activities. The aim of this study was to explore partner experiences of prostate cancer patients’ engagement with a community-based football program. Methods: Eight audio-visual recorded semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 39 female partners of men with prostate cancer who participated in a community-based football program as part of the nationwide FC Prostate Community Trial (NCT02430792). Data was managed with the software program Nvivo 11 and analysed inductively to derive thematic findings. Results: The four thematic findings were: 1) ‘Hope of a new beginning’ which included stories of hope that football would mitigate the negative effects of men’s prostate cancer treatment [s]; 2) ‘My new partner’ was characterized by attributing connections between physical activity and elevated mood as a by-product of men’s involvement in the program; 3) ‘Football first’ included assertions of the couples mutual commitment to the football program; and 4) ‘Invisible needs’ contrasted insecurity, and unforeseen challenges for partners feeling somewhat neglected. Overall, the results confirm the need for cohesion and flexibility amongst couple-dyads to ensure partners and men with prostate cancer benefit from their involvement in football programs. Conclusions: This study indicates that partners of prostate cancer survivors’ engaging with community-based football align to idealized gender relations, roles and identities. In many instances, these gendered dimensions aided positive dyadic coping and long-term exercise adherence.

AB - Background: Prostate cancer is often labelled a couple’s disease wherein the partner plays an important role in the man’s illness management and related health promotion activities. The aim of this study was to explore partner experiences of prostate cancer patients’ engagement with a community-based football program. Methods: Eight audio-visual recorded semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 39 female partners of men with prostate cancer who participated in a community-based football program as part of the nationwide FC Prostate Community Trial (NCT02430792). Data was managed with the software program Nvivo 11 and analysed inductively to derive thematic findings. Results: The four thematic findings were: 1) ‘Hope of a new beginning’ which included stories of hope that football would mitigate the negative effects of men’s prostate cancer treatment [s]; 2) ‘My new partner’ was characterized by attributing connections between physical activity and elevated mood as a by-product of men’s involvement in the program; 3) ‘Football first’ included assertions of the couples mutual commitment to the football program; and 4) ‘Invisible needs’ contrasted insecurity, and unforeseen challenges for partners feeling somewhat neglected. Overall, the results confirm the need for cohesion and flexibility amongst couple-dyads to ensure partners and men with prostate cancer benefit from their involvement in football programs. Conclusions: This study indicates that partners of prostate cancer survivors’ engaging with community-based football align to idealized gender relations, roles and identities. In many instances, these gendered dimensions aided positive dyadic coping and long-term exercise adherence.

KW - Dyadic coping

KW - Exercise

KW - Focus group

KW - Football

KW - Gender

KW - Older people

KW - Partner

KW - Prostate cancer

KW - Qualitative

KW - Soccer

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-021-11448-7

DO - 10.1186/s12889-021-11448-7

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34266389

AN - SCOPUS:85110108120

VL - 21

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

SN - 1471-2458

IS - 1

M1 - 1398

ER -