Background: The aim was to explore patients� experiences of information and their information needs after\ndischarge for colorectal cancer surgery.\nMethods: Thirty one interviews were performed with sixteen patients during the first seven weeks at home after\ndischarge. Patients were included from three hospitals in the south of Sweden, two of which used an enhanced\nrecovery programme.\nResults: Trying to regain control in life by using information was the overall theme emerging from the interviews.\nPatients experienced the bodily changes after surgery and the emotional impact of the cancer disease, and these\ncombined experiences seriou/sly affected their ability to manage their daily lives. They both needed, and were in\nsearch of, information to increase participation in their own cancer trajectory and to facilitate the regaining of some\nmeasure of control in their lives. Waiting for different kinds of information increased the anguish and fear in the\nface of an unknown future.\nConclusions: This study showed that receiving information was vital when patients tried to regain control in life\nafter colorectal cancer surgery. The information was necessary in order to facilitate and manage the transition from\nhospital to home, and the need varied between different transitions. Patients needed more information to manage\nthe daily life at home, but also to understand what the cancer disease really meant to them. This suggests a need\nfor patients to participate more actively in the information and the discharge planning.
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