AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IDENTITES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH AND BEYOND CANCER, AND HOW THEIR IDENTITIES SHAPE EXERCISE EXPERIENCES

Abstract

The identities of women living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) and how these identities influence their exercise experiences have not been studied. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to investigate the identities of women LWBC and if and how these identities influence their exercise experiences while living within a Western sociocultural landscape. 16 participants were interviewed. Five main themes emerged from analysis of participant interviews, reflecting the research questions that anchored this investigation: 1) What identities emerge as salient among women LWBC? 2) How do women’s co-existing identities influence and interplay with one another? 3) Do the identities of women LWBC influence exercise experiences, and if so, how? 4) Does the interplay of co-existing identities of women LWBC influence exercise experiences, and if so, how? 5) Do women LWBC identify societal gendered expectations in their daily lives, and if so, how do these gendered expectations influence their personal identities and exercise experiences? The results from this study suggest that not only do singular identities of women LWBC often influence their exercise experiences, but so do co-existing identities.