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Table 4 Information needs of children with leukemia

From: Information needs of children with leukemia and their parents’ perspectives of their information needs: a qualitative study

Themes

Sub-themes

Codes

Beginning to cope

Why tell

Anxiety due to lack of information

Unconvinced without information

Need to understand the disease

Need to understand the reason for hospitalization

When to tell

Need to communicate at the beginning

Need to communicate with emotional leeway

Need to communicate with time leeway

How to tell

Use suitable amount of information

Need to communicate with the most appropriate person

Use communication tools with pictures and stories

Avoiding disclosure – protecting child

Too complicated

Avoid incomprehensible information to children

Too upsetting

Avoid the word “cancer”

Avoid saying a life-threatening condition

Informational support

Making sense of it all

Information about the disease

Information about treatment

Information about hospitalization

Information about infection prevention measures

Information about side effects

‘Upside’ of leukemia

Benefits of hospitalization

Treatment outcomes

Family support