Qualitative Interview Guide
Identity issues
1. To begin with, I’m going to ask you to write up to 10 answers to the question “Who am
I?” [Hand paper to participant]
2. How would you describe yourself, if someone asked you to tell them about yourself in a
minute or two?
3. I noticed you {did/didn’t} include cancer in describing yourself. How important is cancer
to how you think of yourself? How would you describe yourself in relation to your
cancer?
4a. [If included term cancer survivor in response to Q1 or Q2] You used the term cancer
survivor to describe yourself. What does being a cancer survivor mean to you?
4b. [If didn’t include term cancer survivor in response to Q1 or Q2] Do you consider
yourself to be a survivor’? What does the term cancer survivor mean to you?
Survivorship history (diagnosis, treatment, adjustment to life after treatment)
5. Can you tell me a little bit (more) about when you were diagnosed and how you dealt
with this?
6. What was your cancer treatment like? [PROBES: Where did you have to go for your
care? How often? Was it like you expected?]
7. Can you tell me a little bit about your medical care at the moment?
[PROBES: Who is your ‘regular’ doctor? Do you see an oncologist? Do you see other
specialists on a regular basis? Has this changed or developed since completing active
treatment?]
Assessment of health status
8. How would you describe your health at the moment?
9. Do you have any major health concerns or limitations – cancer related or otherwise?
10. Are there any activities that you would like to do that you aren’t able to because of your
health?
11. I’d like to talk a little bit more about the possibility of cancer recurrence? What have you
been told about this possibility? How do you feel about the possibility of recurrence? Do
you feel that this affects how you live your life?
Impact of cancer on social and family relationships
1
12. How did your family and people who are important to you react when you first told them
you had cancer?
13. How did you find telling people about your cancer?
14. Did your cancer diagnosis change your relationship with the people you are closest to any
way? [PROBE: What is the current state of your relationship with these people?]
15. Are there people who you would not want to know about your cancer history? Or, are
there places or situations where you would not want to reveal your cancer history?
16. Do you keep in touch/communicate/get together with other people who have had cancer
to talk about your experiences?
17. Do you belong to any cancer-related organizations, or work on something related to
cancer?
Cancer in the context of daily life (return to work and other important aspects of life)
18. I know that we are focused on cancer here, but is there anything else that you think is
important in relation to defining “who you are” that we haven’t touched upon? [PROBE:
Are you currently working or retired? What did you used to do? What do you like to do?
What are your hobbies? Have these changed since having cancer?]
2