A Qualitative Study on Barriers to Reintegrating into Family Life among Survivors of Uterine Cervical Neoplasms during the Extended Survival Meriod

Objective: Guided by Transitions Theory, this study aims to explore the lived experiences and barriers faced by survivors of Uterine Cervical Neoplasms as they reintegrate into family life during the Extended Survival Meriod. The findings provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted, family-based rehabilitation support programs. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. Using purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 patients with Uterine Cervical Neoplasms in the Extended Survival Meriod. Participants were recruited from the gynecological oncology center of a tertiary hospital between June and December 2025. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method, with coding facilitated by NVivo 12.0 software. Results: Three core themes and eleven sub-themes emerged from the data: (1) Transition conditions (accepting an altered body image, reconstructing female identity, activating family emotional support, and acquiring sexual rehabilitation knowledge); (2) Transition barriers (the “freezing” of marital intimacy, frustration in fulfilling traditional “good wife and loving mother” roles, social stigma associated with lymphedema, and fear of cancer recurrence and abandonment); (3) Response patterns dyadic coping and communication attempts, solitary endurance, and seeking peer support and empathy. Conclusion: The reintegration of patients with Uterine Cervical Neoplasms into family life is a complex transitional process fraught with physical and psychological challenges. Healthcare providers should prioritize the dual reconstruction needs of patients’ “family roles” and “female roles.” By adopting perspectives centered on dyadic coping and family resilience, providers can deliver comprehensive support, including sexual health education and targeted family communication strategies.