Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

Introduction: Self-perceived burden (SPB) refers to the negative experience arising from an individual's illness and its impact on others due to the necessary care. Research has highlighted that SPB can detrimentally affect a patient's mental well-being and strain relationships within families of cancer patients, significantly diminishing their overall quality of life (QoL). Existing studies propose interventions and coping strategies to mitigate SPB. An encouraging approach involves the utilization of social networking services (SNS) and video streaming platforms (VSP), potentially alleviating SPB. This study aims to explore the effects of employing these platforms in reducing SPB and delve into the underlying mechanisms.

Goals and Methods: An inductive theory-building approach is employed to address the research question, beginning with an understanding of "how" and "why." Employing a multiple-case embedded design, the study analyzes cancer patients and their family members and examines the perception gaps in SPB, utilization of SNS and VSP, and the resultant QoL. A carefully designed case study protocol ensures the reliability of the findings.

Expected Results: Qualitative data from cancer patients and their families indicate that using SNS is associated with lower SPB and improved QoL compared to non-users. Reasons include: (1) sharing content on SNS directed towards third parties enables family members to comprehend the patient's genuine feelings and provide the necessary support, (2) obtaining the family's perspective on SPB from a third-party viewpoint helps align the understanding between the patient and their family, and (3) receiving support and encouragement through the shared content boosts the patient's self-affirmation, leading to a reduction in SPB.

Conclusions: The initial findings from this pilot study underscore the potential of SNS and VSP in alleviating SPB among cancer patients and improving their QoL. Continuous data collection and analysis are crucial to achieving theoretical saturation and reinforcing these conclusions.