Table 3.

Demographic and Methodological Characteristics Included Studies

Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Oxlad et al., (2008)	To identify the current concerns and needs of Australian women who had recently completed primary treatment for breast cancer in order to develop a workbook-journal for this population	Not specified/ Qualitative	Focus group discussion; 10 open-ended interviews	Self-selection	Adelaide, South Australia	36 – 68	10	7 – 51 months	Varied treatment for early stage breast cancer	Interpretative	5 themes: Post-treatment concerns and needs. Australian women’s self-identified current concern and needs following primary treatment, 1. Physical sequelae of treatment, 2. Intimacy issues, 3. Fear of recurrence, 4. Benefit finding 5. Optimism versus pessimism about the future. Completion of primary treatment is clearly a time when women report a number of information/ support needs. Health professionals do not seem to meet their needs. Some women wanted to attend support group and others psychosocial support.
Mackenzie (2014)	To increase understanding of how mothers diagnosed with breast cancer while in the paid workforce experience and manage their multiple demands of taking care of themselves, their children and their paid work	Critical feminist epistemology/Qualitative	In-depth semi-structured interviews	Not specified	Adelaide, South Australia	28-52	32	N/S	Undergoing or completed treatment	Interpretative	Key factors that influenced mothers' decisions: 1. A change in perspective regarding what was important in their lives; 2. Level of support from the workplace and home 3. The extent to which participating in paid work was a financial necessity 4. The extent to which their identity was connected to paid work 5. Ongoing level of pain or fatigue Women in rural location (particularly radiotherapy) found disruptive for children. Most were committed to their employer. Did best to time their treatment to minimise disruption. For some women, family priorities and self-care are breached. The women did more for children rather than asking more assistance from children.
Keesing et al., (2016)	To explore the experiences of women and their partners during early survivorship and contributes a range of insights into the lives of those intimately affected by breast cancer.	Bio- psychosocial framework/ Qualitative	Dyadic in-depth interview	Purposive	Perth, Western Australia	35-70	8 (plus 8 spouses/ partners)	6 months – 5 years	Completed treatment for breast cancer (excluding adjuvant hormone treatment)	Thematic	3 themes: 1. a disconnection within the relationship by women 2. reformulating the relationship 3. support is needed to negotiate the future of the relationship Women felt their physical, psychological and emotional needs were largely undervalued by their usual medical supports Partners of women reported many unmet needs and were unaware of where they could obtain assistance to help them. Acknowledge that breast cancer experience must be shared and accepted that there are changes to intimate relationships.
Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Connell et al., (2006)	To better understand their concerns and needs.	Constructio-nist epistemology/Phenomenology	Semi-structured interview	Convenience	Queensland	29–40 / 37	13	5–37 months (mean = 26 months)	Not specified	Interpretative	Issues and concerns: 1. Perceptions of fertility changed over time. 2. Contraception issues 3. recurrence fears related to pregnancy and breastfeeding after breast cancer. 4. Decisions related to unplanned pregnancies and breastfeeding Health professionals need to communicate such findings clearly to help quash unnecessary concerns of young women with breast cancer. Mixed feelings about wanting a child
Thewes et al., (2015)	To qualitatively explore the strategies used by younger breast cancer survivors to cope with FCR and whether women with low, medium and high levels of FCR employ different coping strategies.	Transcen-dental realism/ Qualitative	Telephone interviews	Not specfied	Australia	32 - 45	28- Australian 10- Canadian	Diagnosed with stages 0–II breast cancer at least 1 year prior 2 and 11 years post-diagnosis ≤45 years at the time of diagnosis	Not specified	Deductive and Inductive	3 Themes: 1. Coping 2. Differences in coping between women with low versus moderate to high FCR 3. Worst fears Women with high FCR might engage in time-consuming health behaviours. Women with lower FCR describe a greater repertoire of strategies and a greater sense of mastery over FCR.. By contrast, women with moderate to high levels of FCR reported using fewer coping strategies and described their coping efforts in a manner. Fear of death is common amongst many young women with breast cancer.
Elmir et al., (2009)	To generate insight into younger women’s experiences of recovery from breast cancer-related breast surgery and to contribute to the knowledge base for clinicians practising in this field	Not specified/ Narrative phenomenology	Semi-structured- interview	Not specified	New South Wales	31-48	4	Not specified	Varied treatments (all had chemo)	Thematic	4 themes: 1. It absolutely encompassed me,’ 2. ‘Being overwhelmed,’ 3. ‘Living with fear and uncertainty’ 4. ‘Finding strength within.’
Mackenzie (2015)	To examine women’s experiences of enablers and constraints to physical activity participation after being diagnosed with breast cancer while mothers of dependent children	Not specified/ Qualitative	Semi-structured in-depth interviews	Not specified	Adelaide, South Australia	28-52	36	21- diagnosed within 5 years on the interview	Not specified	Interpretative	Importance of physical activity and partner support QoL and depression scores were consistent with community rates although anxiety scores were higher. Approximately two thirds of survivors reported at least one unmet need, most frequently concerning existential survivorship issues, thereby highlighting the unique needs of survivors.
Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Kwok and White (2014)	Explores Chinese- Australian women’s perceptions of the meaning and experience of a breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and coping mechanism	Not specified/ Qualitative	Focus group interviews	Not specified	New South Wales	40-69	23	Not specified	Undergo varied treatments (all had surgery)	Structured content	How these women experienced their illness and attempted to capture the wholeness of their experiences, particularly the psychological and physical impact of breast cancer. These women found the experience isolating and distressing, factors that were compounded by the lack of culturally sensitive resources and information.
Coyne et al., (2012)	To examine the role and strengths of the family when supporting the younger woman (<50 years) after a diagnosis of breast cancer. The perspectives of women and family members were sought.	Resiliency Model of Family Stress/ Qualitative	Semi structured interview and phone interview	Not specified	Queensland	35-46	14 (plus 11 family support persons)	Not specified	Varied treatments	Thematic	roles of family changes: ‘just being there’, ‘paradox of help’ and ‘buffer from society’. A secondary theme related to support, specifically ‘the changing role of support for family members’, highlighting the strengths and experiences of family.
Stefanic et.al., (2015)	To better understand the nature of situational goal-based coping in response to personal goal interference encountered across the six months following surgery for early-stage breast cancer.	Dual-process model/ Qualitative	Semi-structured telephone interview and survey	Not specified	Victoria	39-76 (mean =62)	36	Not specified	Varied treatments	Thematic	Early-stage breast cancer patients utilised goal-based coping in response to many instances of goal-specific interference encountered during the study period.
Kirkman et al., (2012)	Young women’s experiences of cancer care and the ways in which their health care providers managed their concerns about fertility and childbearing.	Not specified/ Qualitative	In-depth interviews by face-to-face and telephone interviews	Convenience	New South Wales	26–45	10	Diagnosed at 25–41 years	At least 1 year post-diagnosis	Thematic	Thematic analysis revealed that all women, including one who chose to be child-free, valued fertility and motherhood. All wanted health care providers to communicate fertility options and avoid assumptions about women’s fertility desires while working to extend each woman’s life.
Lawler et al., (2010)	To explore and examine experiences and perceptions of follow-up care (medical and psychosocial) after active treatment for breast cancer among women living outside major Australian cities	Not specified/ Qualitative	Semi structured telephone interviews	Purposive	Queensland	35 – 69 (mean = 49)	25	Diagnosed (10 months - 5 years Mean = 2.5 years	Varied treatments	Constant comparative	Explore and examine experiences and perceptions of follow-up care (medical and psychosocial) after active treatment for breast cancer
Coyne and Borbasi (2014)	To explore the experience of a diagnosis of breast cancer for women under the age of fifty	Feminist epistomology	in-depth interviews	Purposive	Queensland	29 - 43	6	Diagnosed with BC last 12 months;	Varied treatments	Thematic	Focus on young women and the impact it has on their social situation and their family.
Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Connell et al,.(2006)	Exploring the experiences of young women with breast cancer, extending available knowledge in this area to provide insights into the relative importance assigned to various issues and concerns	Not specified	In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interview or telephone interview	Convenience	Queensland	23-43 (mean = 36)	35	4-39 months (mean=21 months)	Varied treatments	Content (Miles and Huberman)	Main results: Second to fear of recurrence and future uncertainty, children and family were the most commonly reported major personal concern. Consumer-related issues and concerns for children and family were equally reported as the greatest general concern of young women with breast cancer. The greatest unmet need of participants was support.
Perz et al., (2013)	To examine the subjective experience of changes to fertility status in a large sample of women with breast cancer living in Australia, using quasi-qualitative methods	Not specified/ Qualitative	Online survey by 2 open-ended questionnaires	Not specified	New South Wales	Mean 54.1	381	Diagnosed mean = 3.9 years	Completed treatment and continue varied treatments	Thematic	5 themes 1. ‘Negative responses to infertility and early menopause’; 2. ‘Sexual changes associated with menopause and infertility’; 3. ‘Uncertainty and anxiety about fertility status’; 4 ‘Information and fertility preservation’ 5. ‘Acceptance of the end of fertility’
Smith et al., (2017)	The purpose of this study was to develop an overview of perceptions and experiences of women undergoing taxane-based treatment for early breast cancer.	Not specified/ Qualitative	5 Focus group discussions with semi-structured interview	Not specified	Victoria	35-64 (median = 50)	25	1-89 months (mean = 25 months)	Completed taxane- based chemotherapy treatment between March 2008 and November 2015.	Thematic	Explore participants’ perceptions and experience of madarosis during and following chemotherapy and identified issues associated with impact of madarosis on quality of life (QoL); 7 themes 1. timing of regrowth and permanent changes, 2. meaning/importance of eyebrow/eyelashes 3. preparedness/information given, 4. impact of the hair loss of self, 5. impact of hair loss on others, 6. physiological side effects of loss of eyebrows/eyelashes, 7. management of loss of eyebrows/eyelashes
Fisher and Connor (2012)	To explore the impact of breast cancer on the identities of young women as ‘‘mothers.’’	Social constructivist/ Qualitative	In-depth interview	Purposive	Western Australia	31-42 (mean = 35)	8	5 months – 7 years	Varied treatments	Interpretative	4 themes not mutually exclusive 1. Diagnosis and disruption 2. Maintaining normality 3. Continuing the mothering role 4.Experiencing survivorship Mothering role (responsibilities towards children and stability of family) be acknowledged by health professionals.
Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Kwok and Koo (2017)	To fill in a gap in the literature by examining the extent to which cultural values and language affect participation in TDM by Chinese women in Australia	Confucian philosophy/ Qualitative	3 Focus groups discussion	Not specified	New South Wales	35-68 (mean = 56)	23	diagnosed with cancer in the last 6 months;	all undergone surgery	Content analysis	How these women made their treatment decisions - 4 types of decision makers 1. the patient as an active decision maker, 2. the patient as a passive decision maker, 3. the patient as a reluctant decision maker 4. the patient as a reluctant passive decision maker. Language barriers, cultural expectation of doctor’s role and family role in Chinese culture appear as influential factors in TDM process among this group of women.
Kwok and White (2013)	To explore the perceptions of information needs and social support among Chinese-Australian breast cancer survivors and how these resources impacted their cancer experience.	Not specified/ Qualitative	3 semi-structured focus groups interviews	Not specified	New South Wales	35-68 (mean =56)	23	diagnosed with cancer in the last 6 months;	All undergone varied treatments	Content	4 Themes for information needs were identified as (1) using linguistically appropriate information, (2) the need for culturally sensitive information for the management of expect- ed side effect and promotion of recovery and (3) the need for information on signs and symptoms of recurrence
Gibson et al(2015)	Examine women’s talk of having breast cancer through the lenses of ‘healthism’ and ‘risk management’ and consider the possible productive and restrictive effects of these neo-liberal discourses for women in making sense of their illness	Feminist and post-structuralist theory/not specified	Semi structured telephone interview	Not specified	Adelaide, South Australia	29 – 72 (mean = 55)	27 Lesbian-4 CALD -10 Rural -15	Not specified	Not specified	Multimodal critical discursive	Thematic discourse: 1. Health and risk talk about breast cancer 2. Accounting for the cancer diagnosis 3. Always healthy 4. Being ‘at risk’ 5. Practising control and responsibility
Ives et al.(2012)	To explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnancy in women diagnosed with breast cancer during or shortly after pregnancy.	Not specified/ Retrospective qualitative	Semi structured interview	Not specified	Western Australia	< 45	15	Diagnosed with GBC after 1 January 1982;	Not specified	Content	difficulty adjusting to BC and pregnancy; high level of stress and anxiety
Author/ Year	Aim/ goal of study	Theoretical orientation/ research approach	Data collection method	Sampling frame	City/ State	Age Range/ Mean	Sample size	Time frame: from diagnosis	Treatment Stage	Type of analysis	Findings
Halkett et al.(2006)	Provides an understanding of the broad range of decisions with which women may be faced, and presents a new interpretation of what the experience of making decisions is like for women diagnosed with breast cancer.	Heidegger, Gadamer and van Manen/ Hermeneutic phenomenology	In-depth interview face-to-face	Purposive	Western Australia	39–77/ mean= 59	18	EBC women	All undergone surgery and completed adjuvant treatment	Interpretative	Experience of making decisions 5 themes: 1. being challenged, 2. getting ready 3. surviving 4. sharing the challenge 5. interrogating the future.
Beatty et al.(2008)	To qualitatively identify the concerns and needs of Australian women recently diagnosed with breast cancer	Not specified/ Qualitative	4 patient-based focus group discussions	Not specified	Adelaide	Mean=53.5	19	EBC women diagnosed last 12 months	Varied treatments and completed treatment	Thematic	5 areas of concerns: (i) coping with side-effects; (ii) dealing with self-concept change; (iii) stress and adjustment reactions; (iv) having to manage others’ unhelpful beliefs, expectations and emotions; and (v) issues with survival and growth
Halkett el at. (2014)	To explore patients’ perspectives of the role of the breast care nurse	Not specified/ Hermeneutic phenomenology	In-depth interview	Not specified	Adelaide	39-77 (Mean = 59)	18	Not specified	EBC women who received treatment in 2003 and completed	Thematic	BC nurse provides important support during EBC;
Powers.et al. (2014)	To develop a better understanding of women’s subjective experiences of breast cancer post-treatment, and the social contexts of these experiences in order to add to public discourse about this topic, and to provide valuable information to both those who treat the disease and those who experience it firsthand.	(N.P.) experience of breast cancer/ Phenomenology	Semi-structured in-depth interview	Convenience	New South Wales	49-73	9	Diagnosis last mean =8 years ago	Women who completed all BC treatment	Thematic	survivorship can remain challenging and can present adverse psychosocial implications for women and those close to them
Shaw et al. (2016)	To explore women’s dating experiences after breast cancer, including any challenges that they experienced to forming a relationship and their ability to cope with dating-related anxieties.	Not specified /Grounded theory	semi-structured interviews	Not specified	New South Wales	27-74 (Mean = 47)	22	12-81 months / mean = 38.6 months	In a heterosexual relationship	Constant comparison	7 themes emerged: 1. women’s decision to consider dating 2 ability/ desire to commence a new relationship 3. cancer-related disclosure 4. changes to intimacy and sexuality 5. body image difficulties 6. changing values 7 trusting a new partner.