Self-Management Experience of Chinese Patients With Nonmuscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer During Intravesical Therapy: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Intravesical therapy is the primary treatment for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and can lead to many physical and psychosocial challenges. However, relatively little is known about their self-management (SM) experience during this phase. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the SM experiences of Chinese patients with NMIBC undergoing intravesical therapy. METHODS: A purposive sampling method was used to recruit 12 patients with NMIBC who were undergoing intravesical treatment in a tertiary hospital in Tianjin, China. The data were collected through semistructured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Four categories that reflected the SM experience of Chinese patients with NMIBC during intravesical therapy were identified based on the interview: (1) health maintenance, (2) emotional regulation, (3) coping with healthcare services, and (4) adapting to a new life. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that Chinese patients with NMIBC encountered diverse and context-specific SM experiences throughout the course of intravesical therapy and identified 2 novel contributions: digital barriers to accessing healthcare and cultural silence around sexuality. These provide a reference for healthcare providers to better support patients with NMIBC and inspire future research to develop patient-centered interventions. IMPLICATIONS FOR ONCOLOGY NURSING PRACTICE: Healthcare providers play a critical role in addressing the complex SM challenges of patients with NMIBC undergoing intravesical therapy. Future SM intervention should focus on providing culturally sensitive care, age-friendly digital support, reliable health information, and tailored patient education to improve SM and outcomes of patients with NMIBC.