Exploring delays to help-seeking among patients presenting late for symptomatic breast cancer at Tygerberg Hospital.
Date
2019-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary focus of the study was to explore the reasons women delay seeking help for
symptomatic breast cancer among South African women attending a tertiary hospital. The
focus was on patient delay after self-discovered breast symptoms. The study was conducted
at Tygerberg hospital in Cape Town. The primary aim was to explore the personal and
structural barriers to help-seeking. The participants were 25 female patients diagnosed with
breast cancer. The data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews which
was then analysed using Thematic Analysis. The Common Sense Model of Self-regulation in
conjunction with Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory was used to frame the study’s
results.
The results of this study showed that participants’ insufficient knowledge of breast
cancer, negative views of the healthcare system and social context following symptom
discovery, contributed to their help-seeking delays. Structural barriers such as access to
medical care, access to finance and work related constraints were not found to be contributing
factors to help-seeking for the participants in this study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primȇre fokus van hierdie studie was om die redes te verken rondom vertraagde hulp-soek vir simptomatise borskanker onder Suid-Afrikaanse voue wat ‘n tersiȇre hospitaal bywoon. Die fokus was op pasiënt vertraging na self ontdekte bors simptoom(e). Die studie was uitgevoer by Tygerberg hospitaal in Kaapstad. Die hoof doelwit van die studie was om die persoonlike en strukturele hindernisse tot hulp-soek te verken. Die deelnemende pasiënte was 25 vroue wat met borskanker gediagnoseer was. Die inligting was versamel deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude wat dan deur wyse van tematiese analise verwerk was. Die Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM) is in samewerking met Bronfenbrenner se Ekologiese stelsel teorie gebruik as raamwerk om die resultate ten toon te stel. Die gevolgtrekking dui aan dat onvoldoende kennis oor borskanker by pasiënte, negatiewe uitkyk op die gesondheidsorg sisteem en vroue se sosiale konteks na simptome ontdekking bygedra het tot vertraging in hulp-soek. Strukturele hindernisse soos toegang tot mediese sorg, toegang tot finansiering en werkverwante hindernisse was nie bydraende faktore tot vertraagde hulp-soek in die pasiënte in hierdie studie nie.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primȇre fokus van hierdie studie was om die redes te verken rondom vertraagde hulp-soek vir simptomatise borskanker onder Suid-Afrikaanse voue wat ‘n tersiȇre hospitaal bywoon. Die fokus was op pasiënt vertraging na self ontdekte bors simptoom(e). Die studie was uitgevoer by Tygerberg hospitaal in Kaapstad. Die hoof doelwit van die studie was om die persoonlike en strukturele hindernisse tot hulp-soek te verken. Die deelnemende pasiënte was 25 vroue wat met borskanker gediagnoseer was. Die inligting was versamel deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude wat dan deur wyse van tematiese analise verwerk was. Die Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM) is in samewerking met Bronfenbrenner se Ekologiese stelsel teorie gebruik as raamwerk om die resultate ten toon te stel. Die gevolgtrekking dui aan dat onvoldoende kennis oor borskanker by pasiënte, negatiewe uitkyk op die gesondheidsorg sisteem en vroue se sosiale konteks na simptome ontdekking bygedra het tot vertraging in hulp-soek. Strukturele hindernisse soos toegang tot mediese sorg, toegang tot finansiering en werkverwante hindernisse was nie bydraende faktore tot vertraagde hulp-soek in die pasiënte in hierdie studie nie.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Symptomatic breast cancer, UCTD, Breast cancer, Breast -- Cancer -- Diagnosis, Thematic Analysis, Help-seeking behavior