• Corpus ID: 53331914

Benefits and challenges in th e use of art as an intervention for making sense of the cancer experience: a qualitative systematic review protocol

@inproceedings{Sabo2016BenefitsAC,
  title={Benefits and challenges in th e use of art as an intervention for making sense of the cancer experience: a qualitative systematic review protocol},
  author={Brenda Marie Sabo and Mina D. Singh and Erna Snelgrove-Clarke and Ilo-Katryn Maimets},
  year={2016}
}

• B. Sabo, Mina D. Singh, +1 author Ilo-Katryn Maimets
• Published 2016
• Psychology, Medicine

C ancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and is responsible for 30% of all deaths. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, an estimated 191,300 new cases of cancer and 76,600 deaths from cancer occurred in Canada in 2014. A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment entails profound changes in peoples’ lives that require significant adjustment and extensive coping skills. Approximately one-third of in-patients and one-quarter of out-patients suffer from psychosocial distress (e.g. depression, adjustment disorder and anxiety) associated with cancer or its treatment. Psychosocial distress can be defined as ‘‘a multifactorial unpleasant emotional experience of psychological (cognitive, behavioral, emotional), social and spiritual nature that may interfere with the ability to cope with cancer’’. Distress arises from an individual’s efforts to adjust or cope with the impact of cancer. In a study conducted by Lin and colleagues, art was shown to improve self-consciousness and resilience through personal growth within the context of palliative care. Participants engaged in visual fine art appreciation and hands-on painting. Using a quasi-experimental design, both appreciation and