Symptom Appraisal, Help-seeking and Perceived Barriers to Healthcare Seeking in Uganda: An Exploratory Study Among Women With Potential Symptoms of Breast and Cervical Cancer

dc.contributor.authorMwaka, Amos Deogratius
dc.contributor.authorWalter, M. Fiona
dc.contributor.authorScott, Suzanne
dc.contributor.authorHarries, Jane
dc.contributor.authorWabinga, Henry
dc.contributor.authorMoodley, Jennifer
dc.date.accessioned2021-04-29T11:56:18Z
dc.date.available2021-04-29T11:56:18Z
dc.date.issued2021-01-19
dc.description.abstractObjective We assessed the process of recognising abnormal bodily changes, interpretations and attributions, and help-seeking behaviour among community-based Ugandan women with possible symptoms of breast and cervical cancer, in order to inform health interventions aiming to promote timely detection and diagnosis of cancer. Design Qualitative in-depth interviews. Setting Rural and urban communities in Uganda. Participants Women who participated in the African Women Awareness of cancer cross-sectional survey who disclosed potential breast and cervical cancer symptoms were eligible; recruitment was purposive. Interviews were conducted in women’s homes, lasted between 40 and 90min, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes, underpinned by the conceptual framework of the Model of Pathways to Treatment. Results 23 women were interviewed: 10 had potential symptoms of breast cancer and 13 of cervical cancer. Themes regarding symptom appraisal and help-seeking included the: (1) detection and interpretation of abnormal bodily sensations; (2) lay consultations regarding bodily changes; (3) iterative process of inferring and attributing illnesses to the bodily changes; (4) restricted disclosure of symptoms to lay people due to concerns about privacy and fear of stigmatisation; (5) help-seeking from multiple sources including both traditional and biomedical health practitioners, and (6) multiple perceived barriers to help-seeking including long waiting times, lack of medicines, absenteeism of healthcare professionals, and lack of money for transport and medical bills. Conclusion Women with potential symptoms of breast and cervical cancer undergo complex processes of symptom interpretation, attributing symptoms or inferring illness, and lay consultations before undertaking help-seeking and management. Increasing community understanding of breast and cervical cancer symptoms, and tackling perceived barriers to health-seeking, could lead to prompt and appropriate symptom appraisal and help-seeking, and contribute to improving cancer outcomes.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMwaka, A.D., Walter, F.M., Scott, S., Harries, J., Wabinga, H. and Moodley, J., 2021. Symptom appraisal, help-seeking and perceived barriers to healthcare seeking in Uganda: an exploratory study among women with potential symptoms of breast and cervical cancer. BMJ open, 11(2), p.e041365.en_US
dc.identifier.issn2044-6055
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12280/2793
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherBMJ Publishing Group Ltden_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesBMJ open;11(2)
dc.subjectSymptom appraisalen_US
dc.subjectHelp-seekingen_US
dc.subjectPerceived barriersen_US
dc.subjectHealthcare seekingen_US
dc.subjectUgandaen_US
dc.subjectCervical canceren_US
dc.subjectBreast canceren_US
dc.titleSymptom Appraisal, Help-seeking and Perceived Barriers to Healthcare Seeking in Uganda: An Exploratory Study Among Women With Potential Symptoms of Breast and Cervical Canceren_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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