Can Narrative Medicine Methods Improve Well-Being in Patients with Gastrointestinal Malignancy? A Pilot Study

Context: Narrative medicine methods, discussing and writing about creative texts, have been shown to help health care providers process emotional experiences and build resilience. Patients may also benefit from narrative medicine tools.Objectives: The endpoints of this pilot study were feasibility, defined as seven of ten patients completing at least two sessions, and assessment of benefits to well-being from applying narrative medicine to patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.Methods: Patients were identified by a single oncologist to undergo three 60-minute narrative medicine sessions. Sessions were themed to address components of well-being: identity outside of cancer diagnosis, making meaning, and finding joy. A survey and structured interviews were administered. Thematic content analysis was done using open-coding and grounded theory.Results: Seven patients completed all three sessions. Survey scores and analysis of themes in surveys and interviews revealed indicators of well-being connected to the workshops.Conclusion: This narrative medicine pilot project was feasible but presented some challenges due to the changing nature of treatment schedules for patients with advanced disease. The evaluative indices demonstrated that participants felt comfortable participating and noted benefits to their well-being as a result of the sessions.