ABSTRACT

Transitions are a normal part of life, affecting people’s identity and life course. Evidence supports the idea that there is a significant occupational impact on people who experience sudden and unexpected transitions associated with life threatening illness. This interpretive description study explored the occupational impact of transitioning from bowel cancer patient to survivor for individuals living in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 individuals who had completed treatment for bowel cancer. Data were thematically analysed and three key themes identified: I had to heal myself, Life’s too short, and The person I’ve become. Themes are discussed in relation to the occupational concepts of doing, being, becoming, and belonging; with the finding of becoming something not entirely welcome, not previously reported in the occupational science literature. Further research is needed to ascertain whether an unexpected change in identity is a feature of occupational transitions amongst alternative population groups.

摘要

过渡是生活中正常的一部分，影响着人们的身份认同和生命历程。有证据支持这样一种观点，即经历与危及生命的疾病相关的突然和意外转变的人会受到重大的职业影响。这项解释性描述研究探讨了从肠癌患者转变为幸存者对居住在新西兰奥特罗阿的个人的职业影响。对 11 名完成肠癌治疗的人进行了定性访谈。对数据进行了主题分析，并确定了三个关键主题：我必须治愈自己、生命太短暂，以及我已经成为的人。讨论的主题与“做”、“存在”、“成为”和“归属”等职业概念有关；发现自己变得不受欢迎，以前没有在职业科学文献中报道过。需要进一步研究以确定身份的意外变化是否是替代人群之间职业转变的特征。