|
Themes/Subthemes
|
Codes
|
|
Psychological instability
|
|
|
Grief reaction
|
|
| Stupor |
Patient’s confusion in the first few days of diagnosis–patient’s sense of
shock and astonishment after diagnosis |
| Denial |
Visiting several doctors in order to be certain of diagnosis of the
disease–recourse to several laboratories to be certain of the positive test
result |
| Anger and aggression |
Patient’s anger after infection–aggression and quarrel with the blood
donation staff– throwing the shaving machine because of anger–Why me? |
|
Emotional challenges
|
|
| Worry and apprehension |
Patient’s deep worry after infection– high anxiety because of the
probability of disease progression– Patient’s apprehension and anxiety because
of the probability of disease transmission |
| Contradiction with beliefs |
Patient’s sense of debt to others, lying (concealing the disease) as a
cardinal sin, sense of debt regarding the religious trainings, make amend
following the concealment of the disease (considering the call of
conscience) |
| Fear of deprivation |
Fear of losing job–fear of losing marriage opportunities–Patient’s concerns
about disgrace |
| Fear of stigma |
Patient’s fear of being exposed–fear of being looked upon like HIV infected
patients–with disclosure of the disease, its news spreads throughout the
neighborhood |
| Waiting for death |
Sooner or later I’ll fall down somewhere and die–Hepatitis causes premature
death–the end of the world– Hepatitis has no treatment |
| Prognosis ambiguity |
Nothing is definite–patient’s constant stress of disease relapse and
progression–patient’s worry about impairment–worry of the probability of liver
failure |
|
Inferiority complex
|
|
| Social withdrawal |
Patient’s negative self-image and social withdrawal–patient’s unwillingness
to interact with others– avoidance of going to parties |
| Sense of humiliation and embarrassment |
Patient’s sense of shame and embarrassment in front of the spouse, the
family and others because of being infected by hepatitis–feeling humiliation
and embarrassment by people’s question about the method of infection |
| Sense of guilt and blame |
Self-blaming for negligence in vaccination–patient’s regret after infection
because of neglect in taking preventive measures |
