Uncertainty in Illness: Theory Review, Application, and Extension

Uncertainty is a common psychological reaction to the experience of cancer. It is defined as “the inability to determine the meaning of illness-related events” and accurately anticipate or predict health outcomes (Mishel, 1988, p. 225). Uncertainty may be present at any point in the cancer trajectory but is common at diagnosis, initiation of new treatments, and transitions of care, when patients must cope with unfamiliar, complex, and potentially threatening experiences.